By Tiffany Williams –
On Friday night, the Atlanta Dream continued their challenging three-game road trip with a matchup against the Connecticut Sun at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The Dream entered the game riding high after securing four consecutive victories, including a commanding 79-55 win against the Sun on May 25. However, their momentum was halted as the Connecticut Sun prevailed 84-76, marking their first home victory of the season. Prior to this win, Connecticut had managed just one other victory, which occurred away from home against the Indiana Fever on May 31, a close 85-83 win.
The atmosphere inside Mohegan Sun Arena was electric, drawing in 8,078 enthusiastic fans whose cheers, music, and palpable anticipation reverberated throughout the venue from the pregame warmups all the way to the final buzzer.
Brittney Griner and Rhyne Howard led the scoring for Atlanta, each contributing 18 points to the effort. Griner, displaying her veteran prowess in the frontcourt, logged 25 minutes on the floor, shooting an impressive seven of ten from the field and four of five from the charity stripe. In addition to her scoring, she collected one offensive rebound, five defensive rebounds, and registered one block, reinforcing her role as a key player for the Dream. Howard played a grueling 36 minutes, finishing six for sixteen from the field, with three of ten from beyond the arc and three of five from the free-throw line. Her all-around performance included one offensive rebound, three defensive boards, six assists, one steal, and two blocks, showcasing her versatility.
Naz Hillmon made a notable impact off the bench, contributing 23 minutes of play during which she scored eight points, shooting four for six from the field, two of three from deep, and three of five from the foul line. She also recorded three defensive rebounds and added two assists to her stat line.
In addition to Griner and Howard, Brionna Jones and Allisha Gray combined for another 18 points, furthering the Dream’s offensive efforts. Gray, who has been on a scoring tear to start the season, consistently averaging 21.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game in May while maintaining an impressive shooting percentage of 49.5% from the field and 43.5% from three-point range, continued to play a crucial role. She was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month, highlighting her dominant run that earned her both WNBA Player of the Week and AP Player of the Week accolades. On Friday night, Gray played 38 minutes, hitting five of thirteen field goals and making one of three three-pointers. Her defensive game was solid as well, with two offensive rebounds, four defensive rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
Jones, a former Sun player who spent eight seasons in Connecticut before joining Atlanta, is making a significant impact in her new role with the Dream. She is currently averaging a career-best 13.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists over seven games. This season, Jones has opened with a remarkable streak of four consecutive double-doubles, making history as the first player in franchise history to achieve such a feat at the start of a season. Although Friday night marked one of her more challenging outings, where she scored just seven points in 24 minutes, she still contributed three offensive rebounds and three defensive rebounds while shooting three of eight from the field and missing her only three-pointer attempt.
Te-Hina Paopao, Maya Caldwell, and Nia Coffey added a total of eight points for Atlanta. Coffey, during her time on the floor, recorded one defensive rebound alongside her one-for-two shooting effort from the field and her successful three-point shot. Caldwell, still developing her role off the bench, played 14 minutes, managed to score three points on one for four shooting overall, and tallied two blocked shots.
Collectively, Atlanta’s shooting stats were subpar, as they finished the night making 28 of 68 field goal attempts, hitting 20 of 41 two-pointers, and only eight of 27 from three-point range. They also converted 12 of 17 from the free-throw line. Their overall performance yielded nine fast break points, eleven second-chance points, and 32 points in the paint. The Dream capitalized on turnovers to score 14 points and saw 22 contributions from their bench. Defensively, they secured seven offensive rebounds, 22 defensive rebounds, assisted on 19 plays, and committed 17 personal fouls, resulting in 12 player turnovers and one team turnover. They also tallied six blocks and five steals throughout the match.
Conversely, the Connecticut Sun showed significant improvement, resembling a team that is gradually finding its cohesion. This victory not only represented their first success at home but was also their inaugural win in the Commissioner’s Cup for the 2025 season.
Marina Mabrey was a standout performer for Connecticut, scoring a season-high 34 points, complemented by four rebounds, four assists, and one blocked shot in the victorious effort. Her 34-point performance fell just two points shy of her career-high and marked the first time since the 2023 regular season she crossed the 30-point threshold, a feat she has accomplished four times in her WNBA career. Notably, Mabrey’s 13 successful field goals accounted for her third game since August 8, 2023, where she achieved more than ten field goals made, emphasizing her scoring prowess.
Tina Charles also made valuable contributions, adding 19 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 32 minutes of play, helping propel the Sun to their much-needed victory. Together, Mabrey and Charles formed a potent offensive combination, leading Connecticut to a hard-fought win over the Atlanta Dream.
Connecticut rookie guard Saniya Rivers had another impressive outing, tallying nine points, five rebounds, two assists, a career-high tying three steals and a career-high tying two blocks — showcasing her versatility and defensive tenacity in just her sixth WNBA game.
Sports Insider Daily 