Sun send Lynx away unhappy
Connecticut wins game that features 41 fouls
Mohegan — It is nothing more than conjecture, this idea that what happened Saturday at Mohegan Sun Arena — Connecticut Sun vs. Minnesota Lynx — would be a preview of the 2018 WNBA finals.
This much we know however: It would be the first basketball series ever measured in first downs.
The Sun and Lynx played a physical, 41-foul rumble, during which Connecticut not only stared down the defending WNBA champs, but punched 'em in the nose, much to the delight of 6,771 fans.
Connecticut survived two technical fouls and a flagrant foul, posting an 89-75 win, their seventh victory in eight tries this season.
Chiney Ogwumike was whistled for only the second technical foul of her career, while teammate Alyssa Thomas was hit with a technical and a flagrant.
“So physical. As physical as it gets,” Ogwumike said, after 11 points, 11 rebounds and five fouls. “We don't get foul calls. They really don't respect us as much. We need to use that as motivation. Some people coming in here already have that respect. If anyone is listening, we'd like to have fair treatment out here.”
Ogwumike also became the 199th player in WNBA history to earn her
1,000th career point. She needed 11 and scored 11.
Thomas agreed with Ogwumike about a lack of respect, saying, “We're feeding off it. If we have to act crazy to fire the team up, it's worth it. At this point, it's ridiculous.”
Sun coach Curt Miller, plenty happy about his team's victory, was asked if two technicals and a flagrant indicate a competitive spirit or a lack of discipline.
“They're taking on the personality of their head coach,” Miller said, eliciting a few chuckles. “We complain too much and I lead the charge. I love the fight and fighting spirit in this team. It's what I like to coach, what I ask for and what I try to pull out of them. At the same time, in a different game, that can really hurt us.”
The Sun trailed 52-48 midway through the third period before perhaps Miller's most auspicious substitution of the season. He called upon Shekkina Stricklen, who didn't score in 12 first-half minutes, after winning the game Thursday in New York at the buzzer.
Stricklen made a pair of threes (11 points total in seven minutes in the second half) leading a 194 run that ended the quarter with a 67-56 lead.
“Strick was huge for us,” Miller said, “especially in that momentum stretch.”
The Lynx, who fell to 3-6, didn't get closer than six in the fourth period.
Courtney Williams, who energized the Sun early, led her team with 22 points. Jasmine Thomas had 18 with four assists, while Jonquel Jones had 10. Alyssa Thomas finished with seven points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Sylvia Fowles led the Lynx with 20 points and Maya Moore had 17. All other Minnesota starters combined for six points.
“Whatever labels you want to put on it, they had 15 second-chance points in the second half,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said.
“I'm certainly happy with that win, we were very tough tonight, and physical, we matched their physicality,” Miller said. “When that schedule came out and I saw this stretch: five games in nine days in five different cities … for us to go 4-1 is remarkable. I can't be more proud. It's a credit to that locker room.”