Wins have been hard to come by for both the Chicago Sky and Connecticut Sun.
The Sky hope to avoid a sixth straight loss and finally notch their first win at home this season when they face the Sun on Friday night.
Chicago (3-6) has gone winless since a 3-1 start and lost four of the last five games by double digits. Injuries to leading scorer Rickea Jackson (18.0 ppg) and prized rookie Gabriela Jaquez (11.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg) haven’t helped, as the Sky rank near the bottom of the league in scoring (81.6 ppg) and last in 3-point shooting (25.7%).
On Tuesday at Washington, Chicago totaled just 48 points after the first quarter of a 90-72 loss. With Jackson on the floor for most of the first four games, the Sky allowed an average of 79.0 points. Since her season-ending knee injury over the last five games, with Jacquez (knee) out the last three, Chicago has yielded 92.8 per contest.
“We started off (the season) really strong (defensively),” veteran Sky guard Natasha Cloud told the Chicago Sun-Times. “Obviously, losing some players, not having players, you have to adjust and pivot and find where you’re gonna piece in and plug in.”
Amid Chicago’s struggles and injuries, rookie guard Sydney Taylor has taken advantage of some increased playing time by averaging 15.0 points over the last four games. Teammate Kamilla Cardoso averages 12.8 points and 10.0 rebounds this season.
Connecticut (2-9) is one of three teams behind the Sky in the WNBA standings. While Chicago is 0-4 at home, the Sun have lost four straight road contests.
The Sun also rank last in the league in scoring (75.5 ppg) and totaled just 26 points in the second half of Tuesday’s 91-75 loss at Atlanta.
“For us, it’s a long process,” coach Rachid Meziane said of the rebuilding Sun. “We know that everything here is going to take time.”
Second-year forward Aneesah Morrow is averaging 15.3 points and 12.5 boards over the last four games.
Connecticut and Chicago split their four meetings last season.
–Field Level Media
