• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Liberty-Sun Preview

Jun 3, 2010 - 4:56 PM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

New York (2-2) at Connecticut (3-2), 7:30 p.m. EDT

The Connecticut Sun are looking to bounce back from their worst 3-point shooting effort of the season. A return to Mohegan Sun Arena could help them find their range.

The Sun will try to improve to 4-0 at home for the first time in five seasons Friday when they face a New York Liberty team looking to build momentum on its road trip.

Entering Sunday's game as one of the league's top 3-point shooting teams at 37.5 percent, Connecticut (3-2) missed 13 of 17 from beyond the arc and fell 69-65 at Washington.

"We definitely were close, but we have to bring out more energy and more intensity," said Tina Charles, who is averaging team highs of 16.6 points and 9.6 rebounds and was named rookie of the month for May on Wednesday. "Especially coming out in the second half."

Opening a three-game homestand, Connecticut, which has won its three games at Mohegan Sun Arena by an average of 18.0 points, will try to improve to 4-0 on its home floor for the first time since opening 10-0 in 2005.

The Sun are shooting 26.3 percent from 3-point range on the road compared to 40.2 percent at home.

Anete Jekabsone-Zogota and Tan White have been the biggest threats from long range, each hitting 11 of 22.

In the teams' last matchup in Connecticut, Jekabsone-Zogota made a career-high six 3s and scored 23 points in an 88-85 overtime win on Sept. 4. That also eliminated New York from playoff contention for the first time since 2006.

The play of Cappie Pondexter could help the Liberty (2-2) avoid that disappointment later this season. Acquired from defending league champion Phoenix in an offseason deal, the three-time All-Star guard is averaging 19.5 points with a league-high 7.0 assists.

She had 21 points, seven assists and seven rebounds as New York snapped a two-game slide with Friday's 77-71 win at San Antonio to open a four-game swing.

"When you're playing well and you're on the road and you're competing, if you do something well you've got to have fun with it," said Pondexter, who averaged 22.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in two games versus the Sun last season. "We really needed it."

Connecticut won three of four against New York last season and leads the all-time series 19-17.