By Tiffany Williams –
Following their disappointing 67-78 loss to the Chicago Sky on Sunday afternoon, Marina Mabrey expressed her concerns about the team’s performance. “I think we take ourselves out of the game when we slow the offense down,” Mabrey stated. “Every time that we slow our offense down, we create more turnovers for ourselves, our spacing isn’t as good, and then we’re back in transition defense, and it’s been really hard for us in transition defense. So I think that that’s a pattern that we need to move with pace, but also be calm also. So I think that that’s something that we’re really having a problem with. So we got to clean that up.”
When pressed on how they could improve and effectively translate their practice efforts into games, Mabrey replied, “I think it starts with me being more assertive at the one, making sure that I poise the team and calm us down and make sure that we get the ball where we want it to go and get it from side to side. So that’s on me for sure. But I also think that collectively as a team, we have to be able to recognize the flow of the game and did we just turn it over twice? Did we just make two shots? Did Tina just get the ball inside twice? Did we need to go back to Tina? Did I just get two threes off? Did Jace get to the rim? I don’t know what it was, but I think that we need to do a better job of recognizing what’s going on in the flow of the game and what the team needs.”
This latest defeat marks Connecticut’s second consecutive loss, compounding their struggles to start the season with a dismal record of just two wins out of their last ten games.
In Sunday’s matchup against Chicago, Marina Mabrey led the Sun in scoring efforts with 22 points. She shot seven of 17 from the field, including five of 12 from beyond the arc, and converted three of four free-throw attempts. Additionally, she contributed with two offensive rebounds, three defensive rebounds, and three assists, demonstrating her all-around contribution despite the loss.
Tina Charles closely supported the scoring effort, adding 19 points. She was 8 of 20 from the field, knocked down one of two three-point attempts, and was perfect from the line, hitting both of her free throws. Charles also collected one offensive rebound, five defensive rebounds, and contributed with one assist and one steal to her stat line.
Jacy Sheldon provided another significant boost, scoring 12 points on a very efficient shooting night. She made four of five field goal attempts, including sinking both of her tries from beyond the arc, and was also perfect on her two free-throw attempts. Sheldon’s contributions included three defensive rebounds, an offensive rebound, three assists, and three steals, showcasing her defensive prowess as well.
Bria Hartley and Olivia Nelson-Ododa combined for 11 points. Nelson-Ododa had a challenging game, going two for six from the field and missing five of six free throws. Nevertheless, she made her presence felt with one offensive rebound, nine defensive rebounds, one steal, and two blocks. Hartley finished with three points after shooting three of ten from the field, contributing one offensive rebound, two defensive rebounds, five assists, and two steals.
Kariata Diaby, who came off the bench for 18 minutes, scored just two points but added value with two offensive rebounds, one defensive rebound, and two assists.
As a team, the Sun struggled with their shooting, making 25 of 64 field goal attempts, with a shooting percentage of 39.1%. They went 17 of 42 on two-point field goals and managed eight of 22 from three-point range, finishing the game eight for 12 from the free-throw line. On the boards, they collected ten offensive rebounds and 22 defensive rebounds, while tallying 15 assists and nine steals. However, they faced difficulties, recording 12 turnovers, 17 personal fouls, and 15 team fouls.
The statistical highlights also included 19 points from turnovers, 16 second-chance points, nine fast-break points, 24 points scored in the paint, and a disappointing output of only two points from their bench players.
On the other hand, rookie guard Hailey Van Lith led the Chicago Sky with a career-high 16 points in 24 minutes off the bench. She added five rebounds, one assist, and one block to her impressive performance. Sophomore forward Angel Reese showcased her versatility, achieving a triple-double with 11 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists.
The Sky, displaying a more efficient offensive game, scored nine points off turnovers, 14 fast-break points, and 11 second-chance points, along with 34 points in the paint and a staggering 36 points contributed by their bench. They made 27 of their 63 field goal attempts, with a shooting efficiency of 42.9%. Their shooting split included 20 of 43 on two-point shots, seven of 20 from three-point range, and an impressive 17 of 18 from the charity stripe. Chicago also demonstrated solid rebounding with seven offensive rebounds and 31 defensive rebounds. They recorded 20 assists, seven steals, five blocks, along with 12 turnovers, 14 personal fouls, and 14 team fouls.
The game got off to a promising start for Connecticut, as they quickly rallied to an 8-0 run, forcing Chicago into a timeout just 2:05 into the first quarter. Mabrey scored five of those early points, giving the Sun the momentum. After struggling initially, the Sky missed their first seven field goal attempts. However, they responded with a 14-4 run, turning the game around to take a 14-12 lead, prompting Connecticut to call a timeout with 3:33 left in the first quarter. The Sun found their rhythm again and finished the quarter strong, ending on a 4-0 run to lead 16-14, with Tina Charles leading all scorers with six points.
The second quarter saw Chicago outscore Connecticut 11-7, seizing a 25-23 lead with 5:21 left in the half. Mabrey again stepped up, contributing five of the Sun’s initial seven points. Both teams traded baskets, each scoring 13 points in the remainder of the quarter, allowing the Sky to head into halftime with a slim two-point lead at 38-36. Mabrey led all scorers at the break with 16 points, shooting a solid 4 for 8 from three-point range. The first half was characterized by intensity, with 11 lead changes and four ties, reflecting the competitive nature of both teams before the intermission.
An 11-7 run to start the second half temporarily pushed the Sun ahead by two points, but the Sky quickly regrouped, demonstrating their resilience and depth as the game progressed.
An 11-7 surge at the start of the second half propelled the Connecticut Sun to a narrow two-point lead, 47-45, with just 4:55 remaining in the third quarter. However, the Chicago Sky responded fiercely, outscoring the Sun 14-7 in the closing minutes of the quarter, ultimately taking a five-point advantage into the fourth period, 59-54. Tina Charles was a standout for the Sun, contributing 11 of her 19 total points during the third quarter, showcasing her scoring prowess as she aimed to rally her team after the halftime break.
As the fourth quarter commenced, the Sky quickly seized control with an impressive 8-2 run, extending their lead to 11 points, 67-56, which prompted the Sun to call a crucial timeout with 7:49 left in the game. Chicago maintained their momentum, building their lead to as much as 14 points as the minutes ticked down. They decisively closed out the quarter, outscoring Connecticut 19-12, and ultimately securing the victory with a final score of 78-66. In the final quarter, Jacy Sheldon and Bria Hartley each contributed four points for the Sun, though it wasn’t enough to shift the momentum in their favor.
QUICK HITS –
Today’s game marked the Connecticut Sun’s fourth participation in the Commissioner’s Cup during the 2025 season. Following the loss, a donation of $1,000 will be made to the ACLU of Connecticut, the designated beneficiary for the Sun in the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup series. Thus far, through three Cup games this season, a total of $6,000 has been raised for the organization.
Notably, Angel Reese achieved a remarkable 11 assists in the game, marking the highest such statistic recorded by a player opposing the Sun this season. The last occurrence of an opposing player delivering 11 or more assists against Connecticut during a regular season matchup was on September 17, 2024, when Courtney Williams registered 12 assists.
DJs Final Take –
“Connecticut fought hard for three and a half quarters and couldn’t close out down the stretch. Tina and Marina played a big part in keeping the Sun in that game but it just wasn’t enough as Angel Reese posted a triple double and gave the Sky their third win of the season.”
The Bottom Line –
The Connecticut Sun showed flashes of strong play with a fast start and solid performances from Marina Mabrey, Tina Charles, and Jacy Sheldon. However, inconsistency on offense, costly turnovers, and struggles in transition defense proved to be the difference, allowing Chicago to seize control in the game’s decisive moments. With another loss on the books, the Sun will need to clean up their offensive tempo and decision-making as they look to get back on track, heading into their next matchup against Indiana.
Looking ahead, the Connecticut Sun will travel to Indianapolis for their final Commissioner’s Cup game of the 2025 season, where they are set to face the Indiana Fever on Tuesday, June 17, at 7:00 PM ET.