Four members of the Golden State Valkyries get an opportunity to enjoy a college reunion when the WNBA’s hottest team looks to continue an unbeaten road trip at the expense of the Connecticut Sun on Friday night in Uncasville, Conn.
Four University of Connecticut alums — starters Gabby Williams and Kiah Stokes and reserves Kaitlyn Chen and Tiffany Hayes — have contributed to the success of the second-year Valkyries (16-7), whose franchise-record sixth consecutive win on Wednesday in Toronto gave them the third-best record in the WNBA behind the Minnesota Lynx and Las Vegas Aces.
Chen, considered a long shot to make the Golden State expansion roster last year as a third-round pick, came up big in the 83-75 win over the Tempo. The 5-foot-9 guard hit 8 of 12 shots and finished with 16 points, the second-most of her career.
Chen was part of a bench group that outscored the Valkyries’ starters 52-31 in the win, which came in the team’s third game in five days to start their five-game trip.
“Playing through adversity has been the key,” Golden State coach Natalie Nakase told reporters after the win in Toronto. “The last two games specifically (including Monday’s 64-49 win at Washington), we didn’t start out really well. The second unit came to life again, so credit to them for staying ready.
“That to me is the biggest takeaway right now. We need everybody. We picked up the model from the (NBA’s Golden State) Warriors of strength in numbers.”
Chen and her three UConn mates will see some familiar faces as the Sun’s Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Aaliyah Edwards also played for the Huskies.
The Sun (5-17) have won three of their last five games, including a split in a home-and-home sequence with the Lynx that began with a 90-89 victory in Minneapolis. Nelson-Ododa contributed 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists to the win.
Brittney Griner had a season-high 29 points to go with 10 rebounds in the surprising victory before sitting out the rematch at home with a strained left quad.
Griner, listed on the WNBA injury report as out for Friday’s game, told reporters last week it’s no coincidence the Sun have been able to rebound from a 2-15 start.
“We’ve had some uncomfortable practices, where it’s not really going your way and the (practice players) are definitely kicking our butts and making it hard for us,” she said. “We’re going hard; we’re trying to get better. The wins weren’t coming the way we wanted them to come — (but) they (are starting to come) and that’s because of that hard work that we’re putting in.”
–Field Level Media
