Liberty snap Sun winning streak – Norwich Bulletin

Marc Allard mallard@norwichbulletin.com, (860) 425-4212 mallardnb

MOHEGAN The last time the Connecticut Sun lost, it was at the hands of the New York Liberty at Madison Square Garden on July 19.

The Liberty did it again on Friday, taking the season series and ending a six-game win streak for the Sun with an 82-70 decision before 7,016 fans at Mohegan Sun Arena.

The loss also ended Connecticuts (18-10) eight-game win streak at home.

The game was supposed to begin on a high note.

Connecticut coach and general manager Curt Miller invited New York to join the Sun in a show of unity, joining hands during the national anthem, something the WNBA endorsed after the tragic events this week in Charlottesville, Va.

New York declined.

We talked. They elected to not participate with us in a group effort. They will do their own thing. They have already had a moment of silence already and they have something planned for an upcoming home game. We continued to show our own individual unity as a team tonight, Miller said.

Unfortunately, that unity did little to stop former UConn standout Tina Charles.

In the second quarter, Charles did what Miller was most afraid of.

She went into beast mode.

According to New York coach Bill Laimbeer, it was quite possible that Charles wasnt even going to play. Charles was suffering from back spasms and, as of Thursday, wasnt going to play. It became a possibility on Friday and then she decided before game time that she was good to go..

She didnt do much in the first quarter, going 0-for-2 from the field,

That slow start worried me, Laimbeer said. Sometimes, you have a little injury, you get off to a slow start and put your head down and dont recover. She did recover.

Charles made 6-of-8 from the floor and 6-of-9 from the free throw line in the second quarter, 18 points in total, and rallied the Liberty (16-12) from a six-point deficit to as much as a 12-point lead.

She is one of my toughest assignments, Connecticuts Alyssa Thomas said. Shes a great player, has a lot of counter moves and has a size advantage on me.

The Sun, sparked by a 3-pointer and three free throws by Shekinna Stricklen closed to within three, 44-41, at the half.

But even though Charles got just six more points the remainder of the way, the damage was done.

The Sun got within two briefly late in the third quarter, but were outscored 15-6 to fall behind by double digits halfway through the final quarter.

We couldnt find our rhythm (Friday), Jasmine Thomas said. Even when it looked like we were getting close, we couldnt get over that hump, couldnt tie it, couldnt take the lead. It happens sometimes.

It was a poor offensive night overall for Connecticut which shot just 34 percent from the floor and missed 10 free throws.

We were 25 percent outside the paint (Friday), could not get our 3-(point) game going, could not get our deep-two, pull-up, game going. They made more shots than us, neither team made a lot, and more tough plays, Miller said.

Jasmine Thomas led the way for Connecticut with 15 points while Shekinna Stricklen added 12.

The Sun return to the court at Mohegan Sun Arena at 3 p.m. Sunday when they host Phoenix.