By Tiffany Williams –
COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — For nearly three quarters Tuesday night, the Connecticut Sun looked capable of delivering one of their most encouraging victories of the season.
Then Rhyne Howard took over.
Howard erupted for 36 points and buried eight three-pointers as the Atlanta Dream closed the game with a dominant fourth quarter to defeat the Connecticut Sun 91-75 at Gateway Center Arena, handing Connecticut its ninth loss in 11 games.
The final score reflected Atlanta’s offensive firepower, but it hardly told the full story of a game that remained highly competitive through three quarters. Connecticut led by as many as five points in the third quarter and appeared poised to steal a road win before the Dream unleashed a decisive closing surge.
For a young Sun team still searching for consistency, it was another painful example of how quickly momentum can disappear against one of the WNBA’s top clubs.
Aneesah Morrow once again provided the foundation for Connecticut’s effort.
The second-year forward recorded her eighth double-double in 11 games, finishing with 20 points and 13 rebounds while shooting 7-for-12 from the field. Morrow added two blocked shots and continued to establish herself as one of the league’s most productive rebounders. She reached double figures before halftime and secured her double-double less than two minutes into the second half.
Saniya Rivers continued her strong play with 11 points on 4-for-6 shooting, while Leïla Lacan matched Rivers with 11 points and added a team-high five assists. Olivia Nelson-Ododa delivered one of her most efficient performances of the season, scoring 10 points while making all three of her field-goal attempts off the bench.
Yet despite those contributions, Connecticut could not overcome Atlanta’s perimeter attack.
Howard delivered a shooting clinic from beyond the arc, connecting on 8-of-19 three-point attempts. In one of the game’s most telling statistics, Howard alone made twice as many three-pointers as the entire Connecticut roster. The Sun finished just 4-for-17 from long range while Atlanta knocked down 14 three-pointers overall.
The Dream’s ability to stretch the floor repeatedly punished Connecticut whenever defensive rotations arrived a step late.
Atlanta also received major contributions from Allisha Gray, who scored 26 points while shooting 9-for-17 from the floor. Angel Reese finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds, while Jordin Canada orchestrated the offense with 12 points, 10 assists and four steals.
The game began as a back-and-forth battle.
Brittney Griner scored Connecticut’s first points before Howard immediately answered with a deep three-pointer. The Sun attacked aggressively throughout the opening quarter and found success getting to the free-throw line, attempting 13 foul shots in the first period alone.
Leïla Lacan helped pace the offense early, scoring six first-quarter points through a combination of perimeter shooting, drives and free throws. Nell Angloma contributed one of the quarter’s biggest plays when she stole a defensive rebound from Naz Hillmon following a missed free throw and helped create a late basket by Olivia Nelson-Ododa.
Connecticut carried a slim 25-24 advantage into the second quarter despite Howard already having knocked down three three-pointers.
Atlanta responded in the second period behind its defensive pressure and outside shooting. Howard added another three-pointer as the Dream built a six-point lead, their largest advantage of the first half.
The Sun refused to go away.
Back-to-back three-pointers from Aneesah Morrow and Saniya Rivers trimmed the deficit to one point. Morrow reached double figures before halftime while continuing to battle Angel Reese on the glass.
At the break, Connecticut remained firmly within striking distance.
The third quarter produced Connecticut’s best stretch of basketball all night.
The Sun opened the half with energy on both ends of the floor. Rivers and Diamond Miller sparked a quick offensive burst while Morrow and Griner anchored the defense. Connecticut held Atlanta scoreless for more than two minutes to begin the half and eventually built a 55-50 lead.
Morrow completed her double-double early in the period. Griner protected the rim with multiple blocks. Nelson-Ododa remained perfect from the field. Angloma provided strong minutes defensively and offensively as Connecticut assembled a 14-6 run.
For a moment, the Sun appeared to have seized control.
Howard quickly changed that.
Her sixth three-pointer stopped Connecticut’s momentum and reignited Atlanta’s offense. Angel Reese later knocked down a three-pointer of her own as the Dream chipped away at the deficit.
A late Connecticut turnover allowed Atlanta to regain possession, and the Dream capitalized to take a three-point lead into the fourth quarter.
The final 10 minutes belonged entirely to Atlanta.
Neither team found much offensive rhythm early in the quarter, but the Dream eventually broke through behind Reese and Gray. Atlanta then unleashed a 7-0 run that stretched the lead and placed Connecticut in serious trouble.
The Sun struggled to generate offense throughout the quarter. Nearly six minutes passed before Connecticut scored its first fourth-quarter points when Lacan created a steal and found Morrow, who earned a trip to the free-throw line.
Morrow later connected from beyond the arc to reach the 20-point mark, but by then Atlanta had already taken firm control.
Connecticut managed only 10 points in the final quarter while Atlanta poured in 23.
The statistical differences were significant.
Although Connecticut actually shot slightly better overall from the field at 47.3 percent compared to Atlanta’s 47.1 percent, the three-point disparity proved decisive. Atlanta finished 14-for-37 from beyond the arc while Connecticut connected on only four three-pointers.
The Dream also dominated second-chance opportunities, holding a commanding 15-3 advantage in second-chance points. Atlanta finished with a 35-28 edge in rebounds and converted turnovers into offense more effectively, outscoring Connecticut 16-8 in points off turnovers.
One bright spot for Connecticut came from its bench.
The Sun reserves outscored Atlanta’s bench 18-0, led by Nelson-Ododa’s 10-point performance and Angloma’s six points and three steals. Connecticut also recorded five blocked shots compared to Atlanta’s one, with Griner accounting for three rejections.
Still, Howard’s shooting display ultimately overshadowed everything else.
Every time Connecticut appeared ready to build momentum, Howard answered with another perimeter basket. Her eight three-pointers repeatedly shifted energy back toward Atlanta and helped transform a competitive contest into a double-digit victory.
The loss dropped Connecticut to 2-9 overall and 1-6 on the road.
The Sun now head to Chicago looking to regroup before Friday night’s matchup against the Sky at United Center. While Morrow continues to deliver standout performances and several young players are showing signs of growth, Connecticut remains in search of a complete 40-minute effort capable of producing consistent results.
Tuesday night offered stretches of promise.
Unfortunately for the Sun, it also provided another reminder of how unforgiving the WNBA can be when an opponent catches fire from three-point range.