By DJ Harding
After going on the road for three games the Connecticut Sun returned home to face off against the Atlanta Dream.
Connecticut began the road trip with back to back losses and ended the road trip with a win yesterday before tonight in their first back to back.
Coach Stephanie White spoke on the Sun having their first back to back pregame saying “It’s tough.” Coach White continued “but it is what it is we have to be ready to go”
Coach White also spoke of the importance of defense and defended when she told the media pregame “Defenders are incredibly valuable.” White then added “The days of having a player who can play on one side of the ball are over.”
Coach White concluded by saying “The margin for error in this league is small.”
The margin for error being small was very evident as the first quarter ended with a 19-19 tie between the two teams.
Alisha Gray led the Dream with six points while DeWanna Bonner led the Sun with five points.
Gray finished with 17 points and Bonner ended with 17 points as well.
Going into halftime the game stayed close as Connecticut held on to a slim two point lead with the score holding at 33-31.
Tina Charles added eight points behind Gray with nine while Alyssa Thomas had seven points, four assists, and three rebounds.
Thomas recently was nominated for an ESPY for WNBA Player of the Year. Coach White pregame said “She’s a player who nearly averages a triple double and night in and night out makes winning plays and it’s about getting the recognition she deserves”
Thomas had 14 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds.
Charles meanwhile scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds.
Coming out of the half Atlanta would stay in the game and even take a 57-56 lead going into the fourth quarter.
For the Sun Dijonai Carrington would cross double figures scoring 12 points.
For Atlanta Maya Caldwell and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus each had seven points off the bench.
Carrington finished with 15 points in the loss.
Caldwell stayed at seven points while Parker-Tyus had nine points in the win.
Both teams in the fourth traded buckets keeping the game with a very thin margin.
The game came down to the wire with the Dream holding a three point lead with 17 seconds left.
Tyasha Harris pulled a three point shot and came close to tying the game. A then immediate foul gave the Dream two free throws with 10 seconds left.
Atlanta with those 10 seconds left held a 76-71 lead. Rachael Banham would hit a three bringing it within two points.
The Dream were then back on the free throw line with two shots. Jordin Canada hit them both leading to a 78-74 win for Atlanta.
Coach White Postgame said “it’s disappointing certainly and I felt like we had opportunities in this ball game.” White referring at the opportunity to win.
Connecticut will have a chance to get back in the win column Monday when they play the Phoenix Mercury with tip off scheduled for 10:00 PM EST