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    Tuesday, October 22, 2024

    Connecticut Sun vs. Dallas Wings preview capsule

    Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun, right, attempts to block a shot from Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark during a WNBA game at Mohegan Sun Arena on May 14. A defensive presence, Thomas had a season-high six steals Wednesday in a win at Chicago. (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
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    Location: College Park Center, Arlington, Texas

    Tip: 1 p.m. (CBS)

    Probable starters: Wings, 6-4 F Monique Billings (12.4 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 2.6 apg), 6-2 F Maddy Siegrist (14.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg), 6-7 C Teaira McCowan (13.2 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 2.2 apg), 5-8 G Arike Ogunbowale (26.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 5.5 apg, 3.1 spg), 5-10 G Sevgi Uzun (6.8 ppg, 4.4 apg).

    Sun, 5-10 G Ty Harris (10.9 ppg, 3.8 apg), 5-11 G DiJonai Carrington (12.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.1 apg), 6-4 G DeWanna Bonner (18.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.0 apg), 6-2 F Alyssa Thomas (12.8 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 8.1 apg), 6-3 F Brionna Jones (13.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg).

    Noteworthy: On Tuesday, Connecticut’s Thomas was named to the U.S. Olympic Team for the first time in her career and on Wednesday she continued to show why, finishing with 20 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a season-high six steals in an 83-75 victory over the Chicago Sky. Thomas contributed to the Sun’s total of 13 steals, with Connecticut scoring 14 points off Chicago’s 19 turnovers. “Our defense always puts us in a position to win games,” Sun head coach Stephanie White said. “It did it here again tonight. It’s been the identity of this team and this franchise before I got here. When you have a defensive player like Alyssa Thomas, who every year, in my opinion, is a defensive player of the year candidate, it just sets the tone for what your defense is about. Our defense sets the tone for us.” ... The win upped Connecticut’s record to 11-1. Dallas, meanwhile, is 3-8 following a 92-84 loss to the Seattle Storm on Thursday night. Ogunbowale scored 24 points in that game to extend her WNBA record to 11 consecutive games to start a season with 20-or-more points — she’s led the Wings in scoring in every game this season — but the Wings committed 19 turnovers that led to 27 points for Seattle. ... The Wings are missing WNBA All-Star Satou Sabally, a 6-4 forward who averaged 18.6 points per game last season, with a shoulder injury. She has not played yet this season. Also, 6-2 F Natasha Howard (16.5 ppg) has missed all but one game with a foot injury. ... The Sun finished 4-1 in Commissioner’s Cup play, with the organization raising $13,000 for Reproductive Equity now, which Connecticut chose as its Commissioner’s Cup beneficiary. New York earned the right to represent the Eastern Conference in the Commissioner’s Cup final and will take on Minnesota from the Western Conference. ... Against Chicago, White earned her 38th win in two seasons as the Sun’s head coach, tying her with the late Anne Donovan for fourth all-time in franchise history. White is the fastest to 38 wins among Sun coaches, doing so in 52 games. Curt Miller and Mike Thibault each achieved that milestone in 71 games.

    — Vickie Fulkerson

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