Atlanta, GA: The Connecticut Sun (19-6) travel to Georgia for an afternoon match up with the Atlanta Dream (8-17) on Sunday, August 18 at 3:00 PM ET at Gateway Center Arena. The Sun lead the 2024 regular season series with the Dream, 2-1. The game will air on NBC Sports Boston and stream live on WNBA League Pass.
Storylines:
Last Time Out:
The Sun were back in action for the first time post-Olympic break on Friday night, defeating the Dallas Wings, 109-91, in Arlington. DeWanna Bonner led the way for Connecticut notching a season-high 29 points, three rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block. Marina Mabrey made her debut for the Sun adding 17 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals, while Olympic gold medalist Alyssa Thomas finished two rebounds shy of a triple-double, tallying 12 points, eight rebounds and a season-high tying 14 assists on the night.
As a team, Connecticut logged season-highs in points (109), assists (30), field goals made (38), three-point field goals made (11), field goal percentage (57.6%) and three-point field goal percentage (55%). The Sun notched 100+ points for the first time during the regular season since June 15, 2022 (Atlanta- 102). It marked only the second time this season the team as shot 50%+ from the field and first time the team has shot 50%+ from beyond the arc in 2024.
Opponent History:
Connecticut is 33-29 all-time against Atlanta during the regular season, including a 12-18 record on the road. The Sun have won seven straight games against the Dream in Atlanta, dating back to the 2019 season. The two teams most recently met on July 7 in Connecticut, with the Sun coming away with an 80-67 victory. The Dream enters Sunday’s matchup coming off down-to-the-wire 83-81 win over the Seattle Storm on Friday night. Rhyne Howard notched a season-high 30 points, while Tina Charles hit the go-ahead lay-up with 1.1 seconds remaining to seal the win for the Dream. Head Coach Tanisha Wright is in her third season with Atlanta.
Sun-Dream Connections:
- Dream Center Tina Charles was drafted No. 1 overall by the Connecticut Sun in the 2010 WNBA Draft. She played four seasons for the Sun (2010-2013) and was named the 2012 WNBA MVP during her time with Connecticut.
- Sun guard Ty Harris played with Dream guard Allisha Gray and Dream forward Laeticia Amihere at the University of South Carolina.
- Sun guard DiJonai Carrington and Dream guard Haley Jones played one season together at Stanford University (2019-20).
- Sun forward Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Dream guard Jordin Canada played one season together with the Los Angeles Sparks (2022).
- Sun guards Ty Harris and Marina Mabrey and Dream guard Allisha Gray played three seasons together with the Dallas Wings (2020-2022).