The Guru’s WNBA Roundup: Connecticut Tops Atlanta for First Home Win While Los Angeles Halts Slide by Beating Dallas

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

In two games on the WNBA card Friday night the Connecticut Sun (2-6) won its first home game of the season downing Atlanta 84-76 to even its Commissioner’s Cup record at 1-1 before a crowd of 8,078 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville while in the Southwest, Los Angeles (3-6) on the road snapped a three-game losing streak to beat Dallas 93-79 as the Wings (1-8) continued to struggle with overall No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers sidelined her third straight game in the concussion protocol.

Marina Mabrey, one of the bright stories for the Sun, who lost all five starters and ten of 12 on the roster in the offseason, scored a season-best 34 points, while Tina Charles helped the home team down the stretch with seven of her 19 points over the Dream (5-3).

Connecticut last played Sunday at New York getting plastered by 48 points.

Mabrey, a former Notre Dame standout, was 13-of-22 from the field, including 3-of-8 from deep and 5-of-6 on the line in coming within a basket of her all-time high of 36 points set two years ago against Indiana on June 15.

Atlanta, which dropped its first Cup game it played, trailed 58-45 late in the third quarter when the Dream erupted on a 16-4 run to move within a point at 62-61 right before the period ended on Rhyne Howard’s 3-pointer.

But the visitors went cold the first five minutes of the final period, and the Sun built a 71-64 lead.

Bria Hartley added 11 points for the winners, who lost Olivia Nelson-Ododa to an ankle injury for the second half. Rookie Saniya Rivers out of N.C. State had three steals and a pair of blocks.

Atlanta’s Brittney Griner and Howard each scored 18 points, while Naz Hillmon scored 14 and Allisha Gray collected 11 points in the first appearance back at Mohegan for Brionna Jones, who left for the South after spending her eight years previous with the Sun and who had seven points and six boards for the Dream.

Connecticut goes to Washington Sunday at 3 p.m. while Atlanta next hosts Indiana Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN3, a game which Fever second-year pro Caitlin Clark has a chance to be cleared from missing what will be her fourth game Saturday in Chicago with a left quad strain.

Los Angeles Subdues Dallas

The Sparks were fired up by Azura Stevens, propelled by a career-high five 3-pointers on the way to 21 points, while Dearica Hamby scored 20, the fourth time each reached 20 this season, and Odyssey Sims scored 19 as the visitors’ Cup record evened at 1-1.

A crowd of 6,007 watched the game on the campus of Texas-Arlington, the home of the Wings, who anticipate moving to downtown in the future.

Leading 45-40 at the half, Los Angeles mounted a 6-0 run at the outset of the third period and 9-0 spurt likewise beginning the fourth.

Dallas, now 0-2 in Cup games, got 16 points from DiJonai Carrington while rookie JJ Quinerly out of West Virginia, scored 14 for the Wings, who also had Luisa Geiselsoder get her first double-double with 11 points and 10 boards, while Kaila Charles scored 10 points.

Former Villanova star Maddy Siegriest, a third-year pro who has been starting since Bueckers’ injury, played 20 minutes and scored four points.

Dallas hosts unbeaten Minnesota Sunday at 4 p.m. while Los Angeles Monday in the only game hosts the expansion Golden State at 10 p.m.

On Saturday Golden State hosts Las Vegas at 3 p.m. on ABC and ESPN+, while the first-ever prime-time broadcast carrier at 8 p.m. on CBS will feature Indiana at Chicago moved from the Wintrust Arena to the NBA United Center prior to Clark’s injury.

Fever coach Stephanie White did not make the trip for personal reasons with the team and as of late Friday night it was unknown if she’ll be in Chicago for the opening tip.

A debut CBS pre-game studio show will feature South Carolina coach Dawn Staley and Renee Montgomery.