The Connecticut Sun have ample reasons to sing the blues. They're mired in another losing season, and knee issues may prevent starter Chiney Ogwumike and rookie Rachel Banham from playing in Wednesday's game at the Phoenix Mercury.

Death puts life into better perspective, though, and Tuesday's passing of Pat Summitt did just that. Sun reserve Shekinna Stricklen, who played for Summitt, is in Tennessee and will miss the game.

“It’s obvious that her influence is remarkable to our whole profession and certainly to the players around this league,” Connecticut head coach Curt Miller said. “I regretfully never had the opportunity to coach a game against Pat. I interacted with her on the coaching trail, and she was always very nice to me and complimentary to the program we built at Bowling Green specifically. She appreciated what we were doing at the mid-major level. When someone like that takes the time to compliment the program that you’re coaching, you almost have to pinch yourself.

“She was one of two people who, when I was a younger coach, I was nervous to interact with. It was Pat and Geno. That’s who I looked up to. They were the pioneers and role models when you’re a younger coach.”

Stricklen was one of the 34 women Summitt sent to the WNBA.

“It hurts,” Stricklen said in a release. “This whole situation has been very difficult. She meant a lot to me. She was a teacher on and off the court. It was an opportunity and a blessing to play for her. She really helped me grow up and become a woman. She always told me to stay loyal and respectful, and she always treated everyone the same. What you saw in these finals days was what Pat Summitt was as a person. She did not give up easily, and she went out on her terms, not on anybody else’s terms.”

Miller said, “One thing I always found remarkable about Pat was the balance … That when the players know how much she loved them and how much she cared about them, that she was just trying to make them better on-and-off the court, you could be a demanding coach.”

Connecticut (3-12) is in last place in the Eastern Conference in Miller’s first year as head coach. Circumstances forced the team to continue looking towards the future instead of the present, which they did Saturday as they traded starting center Kelsey Bone to Phoenix for rookie guard Courtney Williams, the draft rights to post Jillian Alleyne, and a second-round pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft.

“I knew it was going to take time,” Miller said. “What I was hopeful for was that we weren’t going to have to blow up the roster, that we could have a roster that we could build with as we were going to be very young. Unfortunately, the slow start wasn’t as shocking as not getting the chemistry in the locker room pieced together as quickly as we would’ve liked and ultimately led to a move that I believe will move us forward, that builds for the future.

“I feel like there are some players having some career years. I’m really pleased with Jasmine (Thomas), who is maybe having the best year of her career. Alyssa (Thomas) is having a great year. Collectively, the most disappointing thing is we’re not overachieving as a team. That’s what I prided myself on in 13 years as a head coach (in college), being able to overachieve no matter what the talent level of the year we’re in. That’s what’s more disappointing to me than the wins and losses.”

n.griffen@theday.com