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 Chicago Sky

Short-Handed Sky Falls To Connecticut

August 30, 2015 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Chicago Sky News Release


ROSEMONT- Following a win in Atlanta on Saturday night, the Chicago Sky (18-12) returned to action tonight inside Allstate Arena against the Connecticut Sun (13-17). With a playoff berth secured, the Sky looked to jockey for playoff positioning near the top of the Eastern Conference standings. Despite leading by 12 points in the third quarter, Chicago was unable to pull away with the victory falling to the Sun 72-68.

With Elena Delle Donne and Cappie Pondexter out of the lineup for tonight's game, seven Chicago Sky players scored in the first ten minutes of action. Vandersloot led the way with six points and two steals as the Sky built a 24-18 advantage by the end of the first quarter.

Vandersloot continued to pace the Sky in the second, adding five more points in the quarter. Despite shooting 21.1% from the field in the second quarter, the Sky maintained a 34-33 lead at the half.

Chicago used a 17-4 run early in the second half to extend its largest lead of the night (51-39) with 2:38 remaining in the third quarter and carried a 55-47 advantage into the fourth, but was unable to string together stops to close out the game.

Connecticut went on a 13-0 run in a four-minute span to gain a 66-62 lead over Chicago. Down three points with 25.3 seconds remaining, the Sky had a chance to tie the game but an Allie Quigley shot attempt was blocked at the top of the key allowing Connecticut to escape with a 72-68 victory.

"It starts on the defensive end," said Vandersloot. "We have to get stops. We can't get into our offense and we can't get into a transition if we don't stop them and we didn't in the fourth quarter."

The Sky will look to bounce back in a pivotal battle on Thursday night against the Eastern Conference leading New York Liberty inside Madison Square Garden. Tip-off is set for 6:00pm CT on The U Too.

Postgame Notes: Chicago Sky 68, Connecticut Sun 72

NOTES

- Connecticut snapped a seven-game losing streak and ended Chicago's three-game winning streak with a 72-68 victory tonight.

- Chicago was led in scoring by Courtney Vandersloot, who recorded 18 points and five assists. In the last two games without Elena Delle Donne, Vandersloot averaged 17.5 points per game. Entering the weekend, Vandersloot was averaging 11.0 points per game.

- Jessica Breland added 12 points and seven rebounds, followed by Tamera Young's 10 points.

- The Sky led by as many as 12 points (55-43) with 1:35 remaining in the third quarter. Chicago led 55-47 going into the fourth quarter. The Sky is 13-5 when leading before the final quarter.

- The Sky has been held below 70 points in just seven games this season. When scoring fewer than 70 points, Chicago is 1-6.

- Chicago finished tonight's game with nine turnovers. Through 30 games, the Sky averages 12.2 turnovers per game, which is the fewest in the WNBA.

- Six players in total were out of tonight's game due to injury and illness. The Sky was without Elena Delle Donne (foot) and Cappie Pondexter (illness). Alex Bentley (ankle), Alyssa Thomas (shoulder), Elizabeth Williams (knee) and Chiney Ogwumike (knee) missed tonight's contest for the Sun.

- Kelsey Bone finished with a game-high 25 points and eight rebounds. Chelsea Gray recorded 15 points and nine rebounds for Connecticut.

- The Sun's Kelsey Bone led the scoring charge in the fourth quarter to cut the Sun's eight-point deficit. Bone scored 17 points in the second half on 7-11 (.636) field goal shooting.

- Connecticut went on a 13-0 run in four minutes in the fourth quarter to gain a 66-62 lead over Chicago.

QUOTES

Chicago Sky General Manager and Head Coach Pokey Chatman

(Opening statement...)

"Credit to Connecticut for executing their game plan. We didn't give ourselves a chance because of every category that's so important in winning. We came up on the short end in everything from losing the battle on the boards to paint points. Our transition defense in the fourth quarter wasn't there."

(On Kelsey Bone's play...)

"She's a big girl who understands positioning. She uses her body really well. You can't let her get deep. There were a couple of times they were setting two screens for her and we didn't help Erika [de Souza] and CP [Cheyenne Parker] or Clarissa [Dos Santos] in bumping her."

Chicago Sky Guard Courtney Vandersloot

(On the team's defense tonight...)

"It starts on the defensive end. We have to get stops. Even if it was a 17-0 run and we're not scoring, we have to get stops. We can't get into our offense and we can't get into a transition if we don't stop them and we didn't in the fourth quarter."

(On the difference between the fourth quarter vs. the rest of the game...)

"They started attacking us, started taking advantage and exploiting us in certain spots and in certain situations. Bone got deep on us we didn't help out our posts. We didn't stop dribble penetration...it was just so much and you could tell."

Chicago Sky Forward Jessica Breland

(On the challenges of playing with Elena Delle Donne and Cappie Pondexter...)

"We were playing without great leaders. Elena opens up the court and Cappie, she's like an energizer bunny. She's always talking to us, and to me. So it's hard, but it's doable. We slacked this game in the fourth quarter and could have done better."

(On how Courtney Vandersloot's aggressive play helps her offensively...)

"Courtney is amazing. She does a lot of things for us when she starts attacking."

Connecticut Sun Head Coach Anne Donovan

(On Connecticut's focus tonight...)

"We're down so many people; you have to work with what you do have. So for us, it was just about playing the way we always play, as hard as we can, and trying to play off our defense. Last time we played Chicago we didn't do that; and, they scored a ton of points on us. So tonight we really focused on defending to give ourselves a chance."

(On how the team will build off tonight's win...)

"We have five games left; we're just going one game at a time. We've got a limited roster so we're just going to fight every game until it's over."

Connecticut Sun Center Kelsey Bone

(On the back-to-back game schedule...)

"Back-to-backs are really hard. You just can't focus on it; you have to push through. Playing last night, traveling this morning and then having to prepare for a 6 o'clock tip off - it's tough but it's the nature of the beast, so you have to get it done."

(On her leadership with several players out from injury...)

"I just have to keep playing. I have to keep doing what I do, stay consistent and bring what I bring, which is a presence down low. If we can get that consistently every night, that's half of our battle. So, I'm trying to stay steady, in spite of the ups and the downs, and get it done every night."

Connecticut Sun Guard Chelsea Gray

(On how to build off the win...)

"Remaining focused going back to what we do best, which is defending. And playing off of each other and taking what the defense gives us on the offensive end."

(On how she prepares for tough matchups...)

"Coming off of a back-to-back we had to do a quick turnaround and know the personnel. The thing about this league is you know the personnel every time you play. So just staying focused, having pride when you go out there and play and play as hard as we can."


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