Sun clinch a playoff berth for first time in five years

UNCASVILLE » There was a sense of the unknown as the Connecticut Sun team stepped onto the court at Mohegan Sun Arena for the Saturday night tilt against Dallas.

Connecticut hadn’t been in the position to clinch a playoff berth in five years, but after a 96-88 victory and some help from lastplace San Antonio, the Sun are once against headed to the postseason.

All five starters scored in double figures and down the stretch, each one of them came up with pivotal plays before a crowd of 6,898.

“I think anybody can step up at any time so I think that is the special thing about our team is we don’t depend on one player,” said second year Sun guard Courtney Williams. “I think that is our team, anybody can step up at any time.”

That is exactly what happened after a questionable call went against Connecticut allowing Glory Johnson to drain a pair of free throws to give Dallas a one-point lead with 5:31 left to play. While the Wings missed eight of their final 11 shots, all five Connecticut starters had a hand in the strong finishing kick outscoring the Wings 19-8 the rest of the way.

Alyssa Thomas and Courtney Williams had five points each, Shekinna Stricklen had four points, Jonquel Jones had a key blocked shot and Alex Bentley had one of the most crucial assists in the game as the Sun won their eighth straight home game.

“Teams can’t just concentrate on one player, they have to guard us all and that is a big thing.” Stricklen said. “We made some great stops, some good blocks and would get out and run.

“We have to keep it going, everybody is getting back healthy as a team. It is a big deal for this franchise, nobody on this team has been to the playoffs with Connecticut, it is a great thing, it is going to be a great feeling but I don’t anybody is going to be satisfied just making the playoffs. I think everyone wants to go all the way this year.”

Thomas had 21 points and 13 rebounds, Jones had 19 points, 16 rebounds, Williams also finished with 19 points while Stricklen and Bentley contributed 15 and 12 points respectively for Connecticut (17-9), currently in third place in the standings.

“It might have come a year earlier than I thought,” Sun coach Curt Miller said a team that has played the entire season without former WNBA Rookie of the Year Chiney Ogwumike, “It is special for all those guys who haven’t been in he playoffs before. A lot of that roster has not been in the playoffs so really excited for them, our four second year players are such a big part of us, happy that they are going to experience it for the first time.”

All-Star point guard Jasmine Thomas returned after missing the last game with a sprained ankle. She had six points in 14 minutes while Jones joined Tina Charles and Ogwumike as the only players in franchise history with 100 offensive rebounds in a season.

Allisha Gray had 21 points, Glory Johnson had 20 points and 12 rebounds while Skylar Diggins-Smith added 19 points for Dallas (13-16). Former UConn guard Saniya Chong played four minutes, all in the second quarter. She did not attempt a shot and had a steal.