ATLANTA – Alex Bentley had 18 points to lead three players in double-figures but it was not enough as the Connecticut Sun fell to the Atlanta Dream 75-70 on Friday night at McCamish Pavilion.
Bentley also had four assists and three steals in the loss for the Sun (7-5). Joining her in double-figures were Chiney Ogwumike, (16 points, six rebounds) and Jasmine Thomas (13 points, four assists and two steals). Ogwumike returned to the lineup after a knee injury forced her to miss Saturday’s game in Phoenix. Rachel Banham added nine points, two rebounds and a block for the Sun.
Connecticut was whistled for a team-record 35 fouls, which led to 41 Dream (7-6) free throw attempts and 27 points from the line.
The Sun had an eight point lead at halftime, 37-29, on the strength of 12 points from Ogwumike and 10 from Bentley. With the Sun ahead by 13 with 5:13 left in the third, the Dream chipped away at that lead to trail by just five at the end of the frame.
Connecticut’s last basket of the third, scored with 1:07 remaining, would be the last Sun basket until Ogwumike sank a layup with 3:01 remaining in the game. The Sun were held scoreless for a total of 8:06, a 21-0 run to give Atlanta a 15 point lead. Connecticut battled back to cut the lead to three points with 9.7 seconds left, but it was not enough.
Angel McCoughtry led the Dream with 25 points, eight rebounds and two assists. Brittney Sykes had 13 points, four rebounds and four assists for Atlanta while Damiris Dantas had 11 points and five rebounds. Monique Billings added seven points, all during the fourth quarter.
The Sun will be in action next on Sunday, June 24th when they travel to Indiana to take on the Fever. Game time is set for 6 p.m.