Sun 103 - 108 Dream
Final - OT
  for this game

Sun-Dream Preview

Jul 7, 2010 - 3:28 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Connecticut (10-6) at Atlanta (13-5), 7:00 p.m. EDT

The top picks in each of the last two WNBA drafts continue to pay dividends for their respective teams.

Angel McCoughtry and the Atlanta Dream look to cap a six-game homestand with a victory Wednesday night against Tina Charles and the Connecticut Sun.

Atlanta (13-5) selected McCoughtry with the first pick in 2009, and she easily won Rookie of the Year honors. McCoughtry has been even better this season, increasing her scoring average from 12.8 to 19.8 points to develop into an MVP candidate and help the Dream take over the Eastern Conference lead.

The favorite to win this year's Rookie of the Year is clearly Charles, who leads the WNBA in double-doubles (13) and rebounding (12.2) and tops all first-year players in scoring (15.2) after being chosen by the Sun (10-7) in this year's draft.

Both players shined in the first meeting between these teams May 21. McCoughtry scored 32 points to lead Atlanta to a 97-82 home win, while Charles led the Sun with 22 points and 12 rebounds.

The difference may have been the 27 points and 17 boards from the Dream's Sancho Lyttle. The forward blossomed into an All-Star for the first time last season in her fifth year, and she's averaging career highs of 14.2 points and 10.6 rebounds in 2010.

It's unclear, though, if Lyttle will be available Wednesday. She suffered a concussion in Saturday's 88-82 home loss to Chicago when an elbow from Sky center Sylvia Fowles landed on Lyttle's left cheekbone with three minutes left.

No foul was called on the play, upsetting the Dream.

"I don't have anything good to say (about the officiating), so I'm not going to say anything at all," coach Marynell Meadors said.

The Dream's five-game home win streak was snapped as they finished a stretch of four games in seven days. Atlanta is 7-2 at home, with both losses to Chicago.

McCoughtry scored a team-high 20 points for Atlanta, but her shooting slump continued. She has made 9 of 36 shots over her last two games, missing all nine 3-point attempts.

Connecticut fell to 2-2 on its six-game road trip with a 79-66 loss at San Antonio on Tuesday. Tan White led the Sun with 17 points and Charles had 16 points and 13 rebounds.

"Overall, I think we had some good looks and some good shots at the basket, but we just weren't able to knock them down," White said.






  • 130
    roots
    MattDOOM777 Added 5 roots

    Sun 103, Dream 108  Final - OTJul 8 10:50 AM


  • WNBA
    CONNECTICUT 103
    ATLANTA 108 FINAL IN 1ST OT

    Jul 7 9:30 PM
  • 125
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    RUWTbot Added 125 roots (Close Finish, Overtime)

    Sun 95, Dream 95  End of Reg.Jul 7 9:09 PM


  • WNBA
    CONNECTICUT 26
    ATLANTA 35 END, 1ST QTR

    Jul 7 7:29 PM