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Sun crush Dream with big 2nd half

Aug 18, 2014 - 3:19 AM Uncasville, CT (SportsNetwork.com) - Alex Bentley scored a game-high 19 points while dishing out four assists and grabbing three rebounds, as the Connecticut Sun used a big second half to beat the Atlanta Dream 84-55 in the final regular-season game for both teams.

Standout rookie Chiney Ogwumike shot over 50 percent from the floor on her way to 14 points for Connecticut (13-21), which will miss the playoffs for the second straight year. Ogwumike also grabbed seven rebounds and Alyssa Thomas added 13 points and four assists.

Angel McCoughtry was the only scorer in double-digits for Atlanta (19-15) with 10 points as the Dream limited the minutes of most of their starters.

After starting the season 15-5, the Dream lost 10 of their last 14 games and fell one win short of tying the franchise mark of 20 set in 2011. They did, however, clinch the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference on Wednesday for the first time in team history and will play Chicago in the first round of the playoffs.

Connecticut went on a 10-0 run early in the first quarter and ended the half ahead 46-36. Ebony Hoffman hit a jumper with 3:47 left in the game to cap 19-7 run for the Sun which started in the third quarter and gave Connecticut a 30 point lead.

The Sun outscored the Dream 24-8 in the third quarter and 38-19 in the second half.