August 13, 2026
By Visarion Cika
The Connecticut Sun returned to Mohegan Sun Arena on Thursday night looking to build on the momentum from their victory over the Phoenix Mercury earlier in the week. Connecticut (8-23) welcomed the Atlanta Dream (20-12), one of the WNBA’s top teams, as the Sun looked to continue their strong play on their home floor. Meanwhile, the Dream entered the matchup aiming to strengthen their position in the playoff race and avoid dropping consecutive games, setting the stage for a competitive Eastern Conference showdown.
Connecticut came out of the gates swinging, led by Brittney Griner’s strong start in the paint. Atlanta quickly answered behind a dominant first quarter from Rhyne Howard, whose offensive explosion helped the Dream erase the early deficit and seize control midway through the period. Charlisse Leger-Walker and Saniya Rivers kept the Sun within striking distance with several timely baskets, but Atlanta caught fire from beyond the arc. Howard knocked down three three-pointers in the opening quarter, while the Dream connected from long range throughout the period, building an 11-point lead. Connecticut trailed 28-17 heading into the second quarter.
Leïla Lacan opened the second quarter with an emphatic block that energized the Mohegan Sun Arena crowd. Angel Reese began to establish herself in the paint, using her physicality to help Atlanta maintain control of the game. Despite Connecticut’s efforts to stay within striking distance, the Dream continued to dictate the pace on both ends of the floor, making it difficult for the Sun to generate sustained momentum. The intensity picked up midway through the quarter when Aaliyah Edwards was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul, sending Reese to the free-throw line. Reese missed both free throws, but Atlanta retained possession. Edwards answered moments later with a mid-range jumper, igniting the Mohegan Sun Arena crowd as fans loudly let Reese hear it. As the physicality continued to escalate, Brittney Griner was assessed a technical foul during a heated sequence, further fueling the emotions on both sides. The game became increasingly chippy as both teams matched each other’s intensity on nearly every possession. Atlanta weathered Connecticut’s push and carried a 51-32 lead into halftime behind a dominant first-half performance from Rhyne Howard, who poured in 23 points.
The third quarter told much of the same story, as Atlanta continued to control the game on both ends of the floor. The Dream extended their lead to as many as 32 points midway through the period, capitalizing on Connecticut turnovers and efficient offensive execution. By the end of the quarter, the outcome was all but decided, allowing the Sun to turn to their bench and give several reserves valuable minutes down the stretch. Atlanta carried a commanding 81-51 lead into the fourth quarter.
With the outcome effectively decided, both teams turned to their benches for much of the fourth quarter. Atlanta never let up, continuing to move the ball efficiently and knocking down timely shots to maintain its commanding advantage. Connecticut’s reserves battled until the final buzzer, with Kennedy Burke and Gianna Kneepkens providing a few bright moments offensively, but the deficit proved too much to overcome. The Dream closed out a dominant 104-69 victory behind Rhyne Howard’s game-high 29 points and Angel Reese’s 15-rebound performance, while Aaliyah Edwards paced the Sun with 15 points.
Connecticut will look to bounce back quickly as the Sun continue their homestand on Saturday, August 15, when they host the 2024 WNBA champion New York Liberty at 1:00 p.m. ET at Mohegan Sun Arena. The matchup marks another tough test for the Sun against one of the league’s premier teams as they look to get back in the win column.