UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT — They definitely made it thrilling, however the Connecticut Solar defeated the Dallas Wings, 74-72, after Alyssa Thomas hit the go-ahead layup with beneath a minute to play and stripped a Maddy Siegrist layup try for the win. The victory got here regardless of the Solar blowing a double-digit second-half lead, and lacking an onslaught of free throws within the closing minutes.
“We made it somewhat hectic for you guys tonight,” Rachel Banham mentioned to the raucous Mohegan Solar crowd moments after the sport. “I used to be harassed, too.” Head coach Stephanie White credited the workforce’s defensive resilience down the stretch even when pictures weren’t falling. “We made some robust defensive performs down the stretch that saved the sport for us,” White mentioned.
The Solar began the sport sluggish, falling behind by double digits within the first quarter, simply as they’ve a number of occasions this season. However like they’ve all yr, they responded, with the bench offering a elevate to shut the primary interval and Thomas carrying the load together with her playmaking the remainder of the way in which.
Brionna Jones, Alyssa Thomas cleared the path
Thomas flirted with a triple-double, ending the evening with 15 factors, 14 assists, 9 rebounds and two steals, whereas Brionna Jones, nonetheless working her approach to full-strength after struggling an Achilles rupture final summer season, exploded for a season-high 22 factors on 10-for-14 taking pictures.
“We missed her,” Thomas mentioned of Jones. “Particularly for these video games. She’s only a nice inside presence. She will be able to deal with the large put up gamers, push them out. Little by little, she’s going to come back again into her personal, and simply actually comfortable to see her on the market.” Jones was the recipient of greater than a few Thomas passes for midrange jumpers. “I imply, they simply stored leaving her,” Thomas mentioned of the Wings’ protection, which tended to over assist and go away Jones extensive open. “They only stored letting her have her leap shot.”
Jones, in the meantime, mentioned she’s feeling more and more snug hitting from the midrange, after making it a precedence to enhance her vary as she recovered from her Achilles tear. “I’ve been engaged on all of it offseason, simply getting within the health club, getting pictures up,” Jones mentioned. “It’s one thing I undoubtedly needed to come back on this yr, and be capable of carry my shot extra and never simply have to remain within the put up on a regular basis. That was undoubtedly a spotlight.”
DiJoinai Carrington handles Arike Ogunbowale nicely
The Wings got here into the sport with a 3-2 report, having gained two-straight video games powered by Arike Ogunbowale, who entered the evening as one of many league’s main scorers with 28.8 factors per recreation
So, a defensive precedence was to maintain Ogunbowale beneath wraps, and DiJonai Carrington, who is often tasked with guarding the opposing workforce’s finest guard, was as much as the problem. “Nai’s been terrific defensively all season lengthy,” head coach Stephanie White mentioned. On Friday evening, Carrington held Ogunbowale to 21 factors on 8-for-21 taking pictures. “You’re not going to cease a participant like Arike,” White mentioned. “The factor that you simply wish to attempt to do is make each shot robust, and then you definitely’ve bought to stay with these pictures.”
With the win, Connecticut tops the standings with a 7-0 report
Regardless of the proper begin, White mentioned the workforce stays unhappy, realizing that they aren’t but enjoying their finest basketball. They’ve but to face final yr’s Finals groups—the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty—and have gained 4 of their video games by lower than 5 factors, together with a number of shut wins towards opponents that rank towards the underside of the standings, just like the Mystics and Fever. So, there’s no celebrating occurring in Uncasville.
“We’re 7-0 and typically within the locker room after video games it appears like we’re 0-7,” White mentioned. “The expectation is simply actually excessive, the expectation for achievement, and realizing, I feel that we’re not enjoying our greatest basketball, we’re leaving lots on the desk, so to talk. Our workforce could be very business-like. We’ve bought a core group of pros who wish to be good.”
Nonetheless, each different workforce within the league has suffered at the very least two losses already, and regardless of the Solar persevering with to rise within the standings, nationwide discourse across the workforce stays quiet. “It’s the standard story right here in Connecticut. We’ve made it to what number of consecutive playoffs?” Thomas mentioned when requested about if she felt the workforce was missed regardless of the recent begin. “And other people nonetheless underestimate us. It doesn’t change something.”
