Sparks Get Burned by Sun

Lisa Leslie scored six of the Sparks’ first 10 points but was shut down for the rest of the half in Connecticut’s 82-73 victory Thursday.

Katie Douglas, one of four Sun players in double figures, scored 25 points in leading the Sun to its first victory.

Mwadi Mabika had 21 points for the Sparks (1-2). Leslie and DeLisha Milton-Jones scored 12 apiece.

Leslie converted early, wide-open baskets inside. But the Sun defense stiffened, and the 6-foot-5 All-Star was held scoreless until after the break.

“They just played good team defense and doubled and rotated well,” Leslie said.

Connecticut used a 13-2 run midway through the first half to rally from a five-point deficit and take the lead for good. Nykesha Sales capped the run with a three-point basket for a 31-23 lead. The Sun led by as many as 14 in the half and had a 44-33 lead at the break.

“They took us out of everything we wanted to do,” Spark Coach Michael Cooper said. “There was no inside [game] until we started wanting to do something in the second half, but then it was too late.”

The Sparks closed to 69-65 with 3:26 remaining, but the Sun, which made 19 of 20 shots from the foul line, countered with five free throws. Sales, who scored 19 for Connecticut, made a three-pointer with 1:45 left to secure the victory.

It was the second straight 20-plus game for Douglas, who made four of seven three-point shots. She had 21 points and six three-pointers in Connecticut’s 68-57 loss to Houston two days earlier. Connecticut (1-2) shot 51% (28 of 55) to end a two-game shooting slump in which the Sun had not shot better than 36% in the first two games.

“My teammates are finding me when I’m open,” Douglas said. “I have to give credit to them finding me where I like to shoot the ball.”

She also found her teammates often. Douglas and rookie guard Lindsay Whalen each had seven assists. In all, Connecticut had 22 assists in 28 field goals.

Spark rookie center Christi Thomas injured her right ankle late in the second half and had to be helped from the court.

Whalen had the first double-digit performance of her pro career with 10 points. She played 33 minutes, her longest stretch so far, because backup guard Debbie Black sat out the second half because of a sore arm.

Taj McWilliams-Franklin had 14 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots for Connecticut.

“It was fun,” Sun Coach Mike Thibault said. “Some of that stuff we’ve been close to, and we finally got over the hump.”