Minnesota @ Connecticut preview
Mohegan Sun Arena
Last Meeting ( Oct 1, 2024 ) Connecticut 70, Minnesota 77
Connecticut Sun coach Stephanie White realizes star forward Alyssa Thomas can take her team only so far.
White is hoping for a more well-rounded effort from Connecticut on Friday night when it collides with the Minnesota Lynx in Uncasville, Conn., for Game 3 of a WNBA semifinal series.
Minnesota leveled the best-of-five set at one victory apiece with a 77-70 win on Tuesday. Thomas finished with a team-high 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds and seven assists. The Sun's other four starters, however, combined to hit only 15 of 45 shots from the floor (33.3 percent).
Olivia Nelson-Ododa was the only player to score off the Connecticut bench, posting four points.
White is hoping that Friday's game plan provides those around Thomas with good looks to capitalize on.
"We've got to talk about some different entries that we can have that allow us to get the ball into offense, and some of the movement patterns that allow us to get some freedom and some separation," White said. "I felt like we could focus a little more on our off-ball screening and some of our execution in our screening."
It will be no easy task, though, as the Lynx are now playing with a chip on their shoulder after weathering the storm in Game 2, a contest that embodied playoff basketball.
Both teams were jawing at each other for the full 40 minutes and tempers frequently flared, most notably in the fourth quarter, when Sun guard DiJonai Carrington had to be held back by teammates following a hard foul from Kayla McBride.
Minnesota's Courtney Williams and Connecticut's Marina Mabrey were among those adding fuel to the fire, exchanging words that likely won't be forgotten by the time Game 3 rolls around.
"Oh, we were chatting," Williams said. "I told her she couldn't guard me. She told me I ain't have that many good games. I said, 'So you think you're pressure? Because I'm really pressure.' A little back-and-forth action. It's playoffs, man. We're going to talk a little bit.
"We'll be cool again after we're done playing."
Williams paced the Lynx with 17 points in Game 2. Alanna Smith chipped in with 15, while Minnesota star Napheesa Collier was held to nine on 3-of-14 shooting. Collier knocked down 7 of 16 shots en route to 19 points in the series opener.
One team will have a chance to punch its ticket to the WNBA Finals on Sunday when the teams meet for Game 4 in Uncasville.
--Field Level Media