Sun-Sky Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN
Posted Jul 12 2012 9:07PM

The WNBA's month-long hiatus appears to be coming at an inopportune time for the surging Connecticut Sun.

In contrast, the Olympic break surely can't come soon enough for the scuffling Chicago Sky.

The visiting Sun look to extend their longest winning streak of the season to five while the Sky try to avoid an eighth loss in nine games Friday night as both teams conclude their pre-break schedules.

After winning all three games on its recently-completed road trip, Eastern Conference-leading Connecticut (14-4) completed a home-and-home sweep of Washington with Wednesday's 85-73 victory. Honored before tip-off, Olympians Asjha Jones and Tina Charles scored 22 and 17 points, respectively, and combined for 16 rebounds.

"With the two of them, it makes it really tough," Mystics coach Trudi Lacey said. "We went to try to slow Charles down and Asjha gets going. We try to slow Asjha down and Charles gets going. I really think that was the difference in the game."

Holding opponents to an average of 74.5 points during their winning streak, the Sun now try to add to Chicago's recent woes. The Sky (8-8) have dropped six of seven since losing Epiphanny Prince - due back following the Olympic break - to a broken right foot during an 84-70 loss at Indiana on June 16.

Chicago saw its struggles continue Wednesday with a 77-68 defeat to San Antonio. The Sky outrebounded the Silver Stars 39-23 but committed 22 turnovers.

"We're not a very good basketball team right now, and that's on me," coach Pokey Chatman said. "I take that responsibility, and we'll figure it out.

"Individuals need to look in the mirror, try to improve themselves ... It's just that we keep on doing the same thing, and are shooting ourselves in the foot."

Swin Cash and Sylvia Fowles, set to join Jones and Charles on the U.S. national team, failed to get much going Wednesday for the Sky. Cash turned the ball over five times and managed eight points while Fowles scored a season-low six, as the duo shot a combined 4 of 19 from the field.

"Swin needs to take care of the basketball a little bit better," Chatman said. " ... I told Sylvia Fowles, you won't score on Friday if you don't bring it, then you get to hang out with both of them in London. Sleep on that. So, that's the challenge."

Fowles, who leads the league with an average of 12.5 rebounds and scores 18.4 points per game, knows Chicago needs to bring a better effort going forward.

"It's more mental than anything," she said. "Taking these losses has been tough but at the same time it's still basketball they put on shorts the same way we put on shorts. At the end of the day you have to check yourself and figure out what you can do to better to help your teammates out."

Sun top Sky in OT 80-78

Posted Jul 13 2012 11:59PM

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) Allison Hightower's layup with 8.9 seconds left in overtime helped lift Connecticut to an 80-78 victory over Chicago on Friday night.

The Sun (15-4) rallied from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to force a 66-66 tie at the end of regulation.

In an overtime with eight lead changes, Hightower's driving layup gave Connecticut the lead for good at 79-78 and Kara Lawson added a free throw two seconds later to help secure the win.

Tina Charles had a game-high 25 points and 13 rebounds, Mistie Mims had a career-high 19 and Renee Montgomery added 15 as the Sun entered the Olympic break with five straight wins.

Chicago (8-9) briefly had possession following Hightower's score until Sonja Petrovic was called for traveling with 5.2 seconds left.

Courtney Vandersloot scored a career-high 22 points for the Sky, who dropped their fourth straight. Sylvia Fowles had 20 points and 10 rebounds while Tamera Young and Shay Murphy had 14 and 13 points, respectively.

Connecticut trailed 53-40 after three quarters, but rallied with a 14-5 run in the final 4:15 of regulation to force a 66-66 tie and overtime. Mims scored eight points in the quarter while Lawson hit two free throws to tie it with 24.5 seconds remaining.

Vandersloot turned the ball over with 2.9 seconds left, but a drive and buzzer-beating try by Connecticut's Hightower fell short.

Chicago briefly pulled ahead at 78-77 on two Fowles free throws with 19.1 seconds to play.

Chicago dominated the first three quarters and jumped to a 13-2 lead in the first 3:35 while Connecticut made only one of its first 12 shots.

The Sun outscored the Sky 11-2 the rest of the way behind Charles' seven points to cut the deficit to 15-13.

But they again struggled from the field in the second quarter, going 1 for 8 in the first five minutes while the Sky's Vandersloot scored eight points in a 12-5 run.

Chicago led 35-26 at halftime, but an energized Connecticut came out of the break with a surge that trimmed the deficit to 37-36 on Charles' basket at the 6:47 mark.

Vandersloot and Fowles each scored six points the rest of the way as the Sky built a 13-point advantage by quarter's end.

Connecticut was without forward Asjha Jones, who sat out the first-half finale after playing four games in six days.

Both teams will be off until mid-August for the Olympic break. Each has a pair of players bound for London: Connecticut's Jones and Tina Charles and Chicago's Sylvia Fowles and Swin Cash.

• Sun: --
• Sky: --

• Sun: --
• Sky: Chatman

• Lead Changes: 7
• Times Tied: 4

• Arena: Allstate Arena, Rosemont, IL
• Officials: #55 Eric Brewton, #11 Lauren Holtkamp, #45 Tom Mauer
• Attendance: 5988
• Duration: 2:11