Sun continue busy schedule at Dream
Jul. 15—The Connecticut Sun would benefit from an opportunity to work out some of their kinks at practice. Their bench, for instance, needs more time playing together because three of the five reserves are new this season, including Jazmine Jones who was signed on June 15.
Connecticut hasn't had time to do such a thing, however, due to a frenetic schedule until the end of the regular season. It gets back to the grind Friday after one day off when it plays at the Atlanta Dream (7:30 p.m., Gateway Center Arena at College Park, NESN Plus).
The Sun (15-8), starting with their second game of the season (May 14), played 11 times in 22 days before getting a little more time between games.
They finish the regular season with 13 games in 30 days.
"As a coach that spent 24 years at the collegiate level (where) you practice like crazy (moving up) to the pro level, that's been a big adjustment," Sun head coach Curt Miller said after Tuesday's 89-81 win at the Indiana Fever. "You're trying to prepare teams to feel comfortable with what you're doing (with) your limited practice (time).
"It's all about rest-and-recovery at this level, and that's why we didn't extend anyone to 30 minutes (Wednesday), which is a good thing."
All-Star Brionna Jones has been the only consistent contributor off Connecticut's bench of late. She had 17 points and two steals in Wednesday's win with the other four reserves combining to shoot 2-of-10 for five points.
Miller began pulling the starters leading 86-68 with 2 minutes, 33 seconds remaining. The reserves missed four of five field goals and turned it over twice as Indiana's starters made the score look closer than the entirety of the game would suggest.
"We've got our core group and our second unit needs to play better than they did in the fourth quarter," Miller said. "That will be a challenge. There's no practice time. We have one game in these last (13) in the second half (of the season) here out of the All-Star break that we'll have a two-day prep. (Twelve) of our games we have a one day prep and half of those we don't even have a shootaround on game day. So we have limited practice. ... You've got to learn in different ways. You've got to find ways to get better when you're not always on the practice floor and that's a big challenge not just for us but for everyone around the league."
Atlanta (10-13) was tied for sixth in the overall WNBA standings prior to Thursday night's games.
— Connecticut will host Breast Health Awareness Day on Sunday as part of its 1 p.m. game against the Las Vegas Aces at Mohegan Sun Arena. There will be various events and opportunities for fans to come together and learn more about breast health, celebrate breast cancer survivors, win prizes and raffles and participate in auctions.
Sun guard Jasmine Thomas, a longtime advocate for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, will host a Kicks4Kay Sneakerball later that day from 7 p.m.-1 a.m. at novelle at Mohegan Sun with all proceeds going to the fund. There will be guest speakers, an online silent auction that includes donated items from WNBA and NBA players, antipasto, dessert and a cash bar.
Thomas' goal is to raise $50,000 to aid the fund in its quest to awarded 15 grants to underserved communities over the next 12 months. Attire for the event is creative black tie with fashionable sneakers. Tickets are $35 for entry and $50 for entry and a free drink and may be purchased at https://bit.ly/KICKS4KAYSNEAKERBALL.
Donations may be sent via https://bit.ly/DONATEKAYYOW.
The online auction link is https://bit.ly/KAYYOWAUCTION.
