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McCoughtry, Lyttle lead Dream past Suns 97-82

May 22, 2010 - 2:14 AM ATLANTA(AP) -- Angel McCoughtry scored 32 points and Sancho Lyttle added 27 to lead the unbeaten Atlanta Dream to a 97-82 win over the Connecticut Sun on Friday night.

Lyttle grabbed 16 rebounds and McCoughtry had 10. Iziane Castro Marques scored 18 points and Shalee Lehning handed out 10 assists for the Dream (3-0).

"We had some special performances, but this was a team victory," coach Marynell Meaders said.

Former University of Connecticut standout Tina Charles, the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft, led the Sun (1-1) with 22 points and 11 rebounds.

Atlanta led by as many as 27 points in the third quarter and shot 53.4 percent for the game. Castro Marques scored 11 points in the second quarter after McCoughtry had 11 in the opening period, helping the Dream shoot 61.8 percent for a 51-32 halftime lead.

"We get the rebound and we look up and there is someone always there filling the lane," Lyttle said. "We like to get out and run. We have young legs, so hopefully that will be to our advantage."

Atlanta outscored Connecticut 25-9 in the second quarter. Castro Marques had nine consecutive points in one stretch and made all seven of her first-half shots, including a 3-pointer.

"I don't think there is anyone in the league that is faster than us," Meadors said.

The Dream outrebounded Connecticut 27-12 over the first 20 minutes, held the Sun to 30 percent shooting and had 18 fastbreak points.

"We had a week to get ready for this," Connecticut coach Mike Thibault said. "Our entire focus of practice was defensive transition against their fast break and defensive rebound. We were awful at both. It was like we'd never practiced."

Charles, who had 17 points and 10 rebounds as the Sun defeated Chicago 74-61 in the team's opener, scored 10 points in the first half against Atlanta.

The Dream's next four games are on the road, beginning Sunday at New York. The Sun is at home Sunday against Washington.