WNBA Chicago Sky

Sky Fall to Sun 86-82 in Home Opener, Mabrey Records Season-High 23 Points

May 25, 2024 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Chicago Sky News Release


The Chicago Sky fell to the Connecticut Sun 86-82 at their home opener in Chicago on Saturday, May 25. With the loss, the Sky moved to 2-2 on the season and 1-1 against Eastern Conference opponents.

The Sky saw a number of season-high marks in tonight's game, including a season-high eight three-pointers and 38 rebounds. Additionally, Marina Mabrey hit a season-high four three pointers en route to a season-high 23 points. Mabrey's 23 points led the team in scoring, with Angel Reese and Dana Evans tied for second in scoring with 13 points each. Evans' 13 points are a season high.

In the win, the Sun's DeWanna Bonner tied her season high of 22 points, 11 of which were scored in the fourth quarter. Brionna Jones and DiJonai Carrington both added 16 points of their own for Connecticut. Alyssa Thomas recorded nine points, six rebounds, and six assists before being ejected from the game with 3:41 left in the third quarter after committing a Flagrant II foul against Chicago's Angel Reese.

Other highlights include:

* DeWanna Bonner tied Seimone Augustus for 22nd on the WNBA's all-time games started list at 365 games * The Sun recorded a season-high 16 offensive rebounds * The Sun tied a season-high four blocks * Chicago connected on a season-high 18 free throws on a season-high 22 attempts * Reese's 13 points matched her career high, which she set last game * Reese has four consecutive games with three or more offensive rebounds to open her career. That currently ranks third all time behind Val Whiting (5) and Yolanda Griffith (17). Only Griffith (23) has ever had more offensive rebounds through a player's first four games than Reese's 18. (Across the Timeline) * Bonner (19 points, eight rebounds), Jones (16 points, six rebounds), Carrington (16 points, six rebounds) and Tyasha Harris (15 points, five rebounds) all finished with 15+ points and 5+ rebounds, marking four players with such marks. This is the 15th time in WNBA history this has happened. (Across the Timeline)

NEXT UP: The Sky stay at Wintrust Arena for the second of three consecutive games at home, next taking on the Seattle Storm on Tuesday, May 28. The Storm are 2-3 on the season following Saturday's slate of games. The Sky are 20-24 against the Storm all time but won the season series in 2023 3-1.

Through the Storm's first five games, Nneka Ogwumike leads the team in scoring at 22.0 points per game to go along with 9.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals. She's connecting on a 62.2% clip from the field this season. Skokie, Illinois native Jewell Loyd averaged 19.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game through her first five games. Ezi Magbegor (13.0 points per game) and Skylar Diggins-Smith (12.0 points per game) round out the team's top scorers per game.

The Sky had numerous high-scoring games against Seattle last season, averaging 94.0 points per game in wins against the Storm.

KEY RUNS:

* The Sky went on a 10-2 run from 8:36 to 6:48 in the second quarter * The Sky went on a 10-2 run from 3:02 to 0:51 in the second quarter * Chicago outscored Connecticut 26-19 in the second quarter * The Sun went on a 12-4 run from 4:26 to 1:21 in the third quarter * The Sun outscored the Sky 27-17 in the third quarter * The Sun went on a 12-4 run from the end of the third quarter to 7:03 in the fourth quarter * The Sky went on a 8-0 run from 6:40 to 5:32 in the fourth quarter * The Sun went on an 8-0 run from 4:44 to 1:29 in the fourth quarter

KEY STATS:

* The Sky's 50 first-half points are their most in a first half this season * The Sky recorded four steals in the first quarter * The Sun had three steals in the first quarter * The Sky recorded three steals in the second quarter * The Sky stole the ball five times in the third quarter * Chicago forced six Connecticut turnovers in the third quarter * The Sun carved a current season high in a game with 38 rebounds * The Sun recorded a season high in a game with 16 offensive rebounds * The Sun recorded a season high in a game with eight three-pointers * The Sun out-rebounded the Sky, 38-21 * The Sky stole the ball 13 times, compared to the Sun who recorded five steals * Chicago outscored Connecticut in points off the bench 20-11 * The Sky hit 47.1% of their three pointers compared to the Sun's 35.3% * Chicago's 47.1% three-point clip is a season high * The Sun committed a season-high 20 turnovers and allowed 23 points off those turnovers, compared to the Sky who committed 13 turnovers and allowed 14 points off them * The Sun scored 27 second-chance points off of 16 offensive rebounds, compared to the Sky's seven second-chance points off of nine offensive rebounds * The Sky's biggest lead was 10, which they reached with a Marina Mabrey free throw with 1:20 left in the second quarter. * The Sun's biggest lead was seven, which they reached with a DeWanna Bonner three-pointer with 7:03 left in the fourth quarter.

CHICAGO NOTES:

* Diamond DeShields recorded four assists in the first quarter * In total, DeShields accounted for 10 of the Sky's points in the first quarter (1 points, 9 points created from 4 assists) * Angel Reese scored six of the Sky's 24 points in the first quarter * Reese's 10 first-half points are her career high for points in a first half * Reese and Mabrey both recorded ten first-half points * Mabrey had 18 points through three quarters, her most through that stretch this season * Mabrey accounted for 10 of the Sky's points in the third quarter (eight points, two points created from assists) * Mabrey hit her season high for three-pointers in a game with four. * Mabrey accounted for 13 of the Sky's points in the fourth quarter (5 points, 8 points created from 3 assists) * Chennedy Carter scored seven of the Sky's 26 second-quarter points * Elizabeth Williams stuffed the stat sheet, recording 10 points, five rebounds, two assists, three blocks and two steals * Williams has three games in a row with multiple steals (averaging 2.5 per game)

CONNECTICUT NOTES:

* Alyssa Thomas accounted for 12 of the Sun's points in the first quarter (six points, six points created from three assists) * In total, Thomas recorded eight points, three rebounds and three assists in the first quarter * Brionna Jones and DiJonai Carrington (six points apiece) combined to score 12 of the Sun's 19 points in the second quarter * Tyasha Harris accounted for 12 of the Sun's points in the third quarter (10 points, two points created from one assist) * DeWanna Bonner accounted for 13 of the Sun's points in the fourth quarter (11 points, 2 points created from one assist)

Check out the Chicago Sky Statistics



Women's National Basketball Association Stories from May 25, 2024


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