The Chicago Sky and Connecticut Sun are part of a three-team tussle to avoid the WNBA cellar.
To Connecticut coach Rachid Meziane, the quest to keep away from that dubious honor hinges on making opponents uncomfortable.
“It’s about toughness,” Meziane said, “and for sure you can work on that in practice, but it starts with just taking some pride on defense.”
Meziane wants the visiting Sun (10-30) to improve on D when they visit the Sky (9-30) on Wednesday. He felt Connecticut “stopped playing defense in the last quarter” of Monday’s 93-76 home loss to Atlanta, “and we gave up the game.”
Trailing by just a point entering the fourth quarter, the Sun faded.
“We stayed behind, we didn’t put pressure on the passers, on the ball, so a small advantage becomes a big advantage,” Meziane said. “We just went after the ball, and they got what they wanted and found what they wanted.”
Tina Charles led Connecticut with 22 points on her bobblehead day. Rookie Leila Lacan followed with 17 points for her third double-figure scoring effort in the past four games.
Chicago, which is tied with Dallas for the fewest victories in the WNBA, has lost four straight and 17 of 19.
Struggles down the stretch plagued the Sky in their most recent game, too. Angel Reese swished a pair of free throws to bring the Sky within five points of host Seattle with 9:36 remaining in Saturday’s game, but Chicago came no closer in a 79-69 loss.
Reese had 20 points and 10 rebounds for her fifth straight double-double, but Michaela Onyenwere (11 points) was the only other Sky player in double figures.
Turnovers remained an issue for Chicago, which totaled 22.
“It’s really hard to beat good teams when you’re giving those possessions away,” Sky coach Tyler Marsh said.
Connecticut would claim the season series with a win. The host Sun lost by 12 on June 15 before earning a 71-62 home win on Aug. 13 and a 94-84 road victory on Aug. 23.
In that most recent game, Charles posted her 200th career double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Bria Hartley — recently lost to a season-ending meniscus tear — scored 23 points and Marina Mabrey had 20. Kia Nurse sparked Chicago with 19 points off the bench.
–Field Level Media
