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Connecticut Sun

Connecticut Sun weekly update

July 14, 2004 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Connecticut Sun News Release


Game Previews

Wednesday, July 14 @ Minnesota

Connecticut travels to play Minnesota in the second game of their five game road trip. Both teams come into the game playing good basketball, with the Sun having won 7 out of 8 and Minnesota winning 4 out of their last 5. The game is a homecoming of sorts for Lindsay Whalen who will get to play in front of the same people who cheered for her at the University of Minnesota for four years. This is the first of two meetings between these two clubs this year, the second game coming when Minnesota travels to Connecticut to face the Sun in eight days (July 22nd). Minnesota leads the all-time series 3-5 and has won 3 out of 4 games played between these two franchises in Minnesota. Thursday, July 15 @ San Antonio

The third game of the road trip to takes the Sun to San Antonio for their only game this year against The Silver Stars and former Connecticut Sun Shannon Johnson. San Antonio is currently in the cellar of the Western Conference with the worst record in the league, 5-14, including having lost their last five contests. This is the second of three times this season that Connecticut has to play back-to-back road games, the first time the Sun split the two games (winning in Sacramento and losing in Seattle on June 11th and 12th). Connecticut holds the all-time advantage edge between the two teams 4-3, counting a 2-1 record in San Antonio. In their only meeting last year, Connecticut won 83-64 in San Antonio on June 1st.

Saturday, July 17 @ Houston

The Sun look to avenge one of their early season losses in a game at the Toyota Center against the Houston Comets. Houston won the first meeting between these teams, 68-57, back on May 25th at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Houston has lost 4 in a row and currently has an 8-11 record and sixth place in the Western Conference. In the first game between these two teams, Katie Douglas led the Sun with 21 points and eight rebounds; while Houston was led by Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson who each scored 17. The Comets now lead the all-time series 5-4, but the teams each have two wins in the four games played in Houston in the history of the franchises. Some well-deserved R-E-S-P-E-C-T

After being picked to finished last in the Eastern Conference by a few different media outlets, Connecticut’s recent stellar play has opened some eyes to how talented this team really is. Every week, WNBA.com puts out their power rankings, which has seen the Sun rise all the way to number 2 in the league this week and even has a mention for our own Coach Thibault as the frontrunner for the coach of the year award. The Sun team knows that there is a lot of the season left and now the team is undergoing a change from being the hunter to the hunted. The team had a franchise tying six game win streak and has currently won 7 of their last 8. Connecticut has especially flexed their muscle against Conference teams, with a 9-2 record against teams in the East. However hard it is to get to the top, it is even harder to be able to stay up there, but these girls are special and they have the players to do it.

Taj Doing It All

Taj McWilliams-Franklin was honorable mention this week for the WNBA player of the week award, and although she did not win over the league, she won a place in the weekly newsletter. Last week, Taj averaged 35 minutes, 16.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, two assists and two steals while shooting 57.3% from the field and leading the Sun to a 2-1 record. Taj has been a rock of consistency on both ends of the court all season, including scoring in double figures in 9 out of last 10 (the only game she didn’t, she scored 9). The post defense has been outstanding all year, and the three person rotation of Taj, Wendy Palmer and Asjha Jones has frustrated every team they have played against. Taj may never have the gaudiest statistics, but she brings more to this team than numbers could ever count.

Community Corner

Please join the Connecticut Sun on Thursday, July 22nd as they take on the Minnesota Lynx and help Pack the Place PINK for Breast Health Awareness. For more information call 1.877.SUN.TIXX. A portion of the ticket proceeds will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

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Women's National Basketball Association Stories from July 14, 2004


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