Sun must improve in Game 2 vs. Chicago
Sep. 29—MOHEGAN — It was getting close to midnight Tuesday as Connecticut Sun DeWanna Bonner gave a rapid-fire assessment of the team's performance after losing to the Chicago Sky in Game 1 of a WNBA semifinal series.
"We missed shots, we missed assignments, we missed free throws, we missed layups, we missed rebounds, some things uncharacteristic of us," Bonner said.
Then Sun are aware, then, of what they must do better in Game 2 of their best-of-five series at Mohegan Sun Arena on Thursday night (8, ESPN2).
Chicago point guard Courtney Vandersloot became just the second player in playoff history to record a triple-double as the Sky beat Connecticut in Game 1, 101-95 in double overtime.
"We know we can play better," Bonner said. "We have to play better or we're going to be down 0-2."
Jonquel Jones had 26 points, 11 rebounds and four assists for the Sun and Brionna Jones had 22 points, 10 rebounds and four steals. The duo combined to shoot 19-of-37.
Fellow starters Briann January, Jasmine Thomas and Bonner (13 points, 10 rebounds) combined to shoot 25 percent (8-of-32) for Connecticut. It shot 37.8 percent as a team.
"We had some chances," Sun head coach Curt Miller said. "We took 13 more shots (90-to-77). We took 10 more foul shots (31-to-21). We just weren't efficient enough tonight offensively to overcome the offensive juggernaut (Chicago) can be and for how much Slooty can really, really influence a game."
The Sun also missed nine of 31 free throws.
"We were out of rhythm," Bonner said. "No discredit to (the Sky). They played a hell of a game."
Chicago had the league's best defensive team spinning too at times with precision off-ball movement and Vandersloot setting up the majority of its baskets. She was a virtuoso running the point and had a playoff-record 18 assists with 12 points and 10 rebounds along with four steals.
Former Houston Comets star Sheryl Swoopes was the first to record a playoff triple-double on Sept. 3, 2005.
"(Vandersloot is) the best probing keeper-dribble guard and just manipulates everything," Miller said. "We gave her different looks. We gave her different coverages. In stretches we were okay. Ultimately, she orchestrates everything for them out there. She's so good with the basketball."
The Sky had 31 assists on 38 field goals.
Candace Parker had 22 points, six assists and five rebounds and Allie Quigley scored 19 for Chicago, which shot 49.4 percent.
The Sun held opponents to a league-low 40.9-percent shooting during the regular season.
Connecticut had opportunities to win. It led with 19.3 seconds left in regulation when Bonner fouled Kahleah Copper as she was starting the act of shooting a three.
Cooper missed her first three throw but made the last two to tie the game at 84.
Bonner missed a 14-foot turnaround fadeaway with 0.8 seconds left in regulation as the game went into overtime.
The Sun trailed by a point in the last minute of the first overtime and, as they were setting up their offense, the ball got away from them.
January hit the deck, grabbed the ball, heaved up a shot before the shot clock expired and was fouled by Parker.
January missed the first free throw but made the second to tie the game at 91 with 25.1 seconds remaining in overtime.
Brionna Jones stole the ball from Vandersloot on the other end with 6 seconds left but Connecticut couldn't get turn it into points.
Vandersloot passed inside on successive possessions for cutting layups by Parker and Stefanie Dolson, respectively, to put the Sky ahead for good, 97-93, with 1:29 left in the second overtime.
"(It's a) long series," Miller said. "(There's) a lot of good basketball left between these two teams."
