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WNBA Connecticut Sun

Connecticut Sun vs. Sacramento Monarchs game notes

June 28, 2005 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Connecticut Sun News Release


CONNECTICUT SUN vs. Sacramento Monarchs

June 28, 2005 -- MOHEGAN SUN ARENA

Final Score: Sun 70, Monarchs 66

GAME NOTES -- Nykesha Sales scored the 3,000th point of her WNBA career on a running jumper with 1:46 to play in regulation. She is the ninth player in league history to reach this plateau.

-- The Sun has now won 10 consecutive home games dating back to last season. The team is a perfect 5-0 at home this year and has not lost at the Mohegan Sun Arena since dropping a 69-66 decision to the New York Liberty on Sept. 17, 2004. Prior to the team's current string, the franchise record was six straight home wins, set from July 18 to August 7, 2001 as the Orlando Miracle.

-- The win by Connecticut levels the all-time series with Sacramento at 6-6.

-- In a departure from the first meeting with Sacramento, the Sun got 19 points from its bench tonight, led by Asjha Jones' 12. On June 24 at Arco Arena, the Sun bench scored just 10 points total.

-- The Sun is now 9-1 this year against the Western Conference. Having faced western foes in 10 of its first 13 games, the Sun will see just three western teams in its final 20 contests of the year following Thursday's game against Minnesota.

-- Tonight marked the 11th time in 13 games this year that the Sun has led at the half. Connecticut is now 10-1 including tonight's game when leading at the half with the lone loss coming to the Detroit Shock on Opening Night (May 21). The Sun trailed at the half when they faced Sacramento last week. The Sun also trailed Phoenix at the half, 28-27, on June 25, but went on to win the game.

-- Taj McWilliams-Franklin tied her season high with four assists.

-- Katie Douglas returned to the Connecticut lineup tonight after missing the team's last game (June 25 at Phoenix) with the flu.

-- Prior to the game, Lindsay Whalen was recognized for earning WNBA Player of the Week honors last week. It is the first time she has ever been so honored in her career. It is the second time a Sun player has received the award in 2005 as Taj McWilliams-Franklin took home the prize on June 13.

-- The Sun and Monarchs completed their entire season series in a span of just five days (June 24-28), the shortest span ever for the Sun to complete a season series with one franchise. The 200 series between the Minnesota Lynx and then-Miracle took seven days to complete (June 8-15) as did the 1999 series against Sacramento (July 17-24).

SACRAMENTO MONARCHS QUOTES

Head Coach John Whisenant:

"That's a very good basketball team we played, the best team in the WNBA for the first third of the season."

"We had trouble scoring ourselves, it was a battle and they are a handful, they have a team full of shooters."

On Asjha Jones three key hoops in the second half "She hit them right in front of me and she was shooting hard shots, shots with hands in her face, the clock running down, from bad angles and she made them. I have to take my hat off to her."

On the scoring drought by both teams with the score 61-58 "We could not score because we were burning so much energy keeping them from scoring. We can't maintain our style of pressure denial defense for 40 minutes, its like asking someone to run a marathon at a 100-yard pace."

On his defense disrupting Connecticut's Offense "The difference was they got too many offensive rebounds in the first half and we can't give them half of their missed shots back."

Ticha Penicheiro

"They played better than we did. We threw the ball away in crucial situations and we didn't make plays and we lost our composure. Right now,they are really hot and they played great.

DeMya Walker

"We played well at times defensively, but we have to put two halves together especially against a team like Connecticut.

On Asjha Jones "Asjha has some really big baskets and stepped up when they need her to."

CONNECTICUT QUOTES

Head Coach Mike Thibault

On the challenge of playing Sacramento: "Going to play them is like going to the dentist. It has to be done. You don't like doing it. That's a good basketball team. They defend really well, but we hung in there."

On Nykesha Sales reaching 3,000 points: "It's a credit to her. A, her ability. But also, that she's been able to be consistent over her career....She doesn't have to force things to get scoring opportunities and she's really done a good job with that over the last two years."

Nykesha Sales

On defending Sacramento: "They can be a tough team. It's like a no-win situation. Do you help in or not help in and guard (perimeter)? They have a well balanced team."

On scoring her 3,000th point: "It happens with hard work. Hard work in the offseason. I think it's a great accomplishment. But I'm more worried about winning games."

Lindsay Whalen

On the play of the Monarchs "They're a tough team on defense. They played us full court. They are a tough team- they always kept it close."

On how the Sun played "I felt we were in control, and if we're in control then it's our game to lose. People stepped up when it was needed and we kept control of the game."

On how close the game was "We never had a big lead (in the game). At one point, we were up by 8 and that was a little bit of a relief. But it was always a close game."

Asjha Jones

On staying undefeated at home "That's a great win. We wanted to maintain an undefeated record at home, but it was also important for us to win the close games."

Taj McWilliams-Franklin

On winning at home "It's more important for us to play well at home, in front of our fans than to keep up the streak (of being undefeated at home). Last year, (other teams) would say, ‘Oh, that's just Connecticut.' This year, we want people to be afraid."

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