Natisha Hiedeman scored a game-high 24 points, including a pair of 3-pointers in a game-breaking 16-0 second half run, as the Connecticut Sun stopped the Atlanta Dream 82-71 on Thursday in Uncasville, Conn.
Hiedeman, who entered averaging 7.7 points per game, was 8 of 11 from the field and 6 of 7 from the 3-point line. She made six consecutive 3-pointers until missing one in the fourth quarter, but the game was decided by then.
Rebecca Allen and DeWanna Bonner added 13 apiece for Connecticut (16-6), while Alyssa Thomas stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. The Sun shot just 42.6 percent from the field but were 11 of 23 on 3-pointers, thanks to Hiedeman’s outburst.
Rhyne Howard scored 22 points for Atlanta (12-9), which saw its seven-game winning streak, its longest in five years, come to an end. Allisha Gray added 18 points and seven assists, while Nia Coffey chipped in 13 points and 13 rebounds.
The Dream earned a 39-33 rebounding advantage but connected on just 39.1 percent of their field goal attempts and committed 23 turnovers.
Connecticut came out of the gate flying, establishing a 17-8 lead just over five minutes into the game when Bonner knocked down a 12-footer in the lane. But Atlanta ripped off an 11-2 run to end the first quarter, tying the score at 19 as Gray drilled a 3-pointer with 1:13 left.
The Dream started the second quarter with a 10-2 spurt to take a 29-21 advantage on Gray’s two foul shots with 6:50 remaining.
The Sun pushed back with eight straight points and the teams traded the lead from there before Atlanta took a 41-38 edge into halftime.
It was more back-and-forth basketball in the third quarter until Aari McDonald’s layup gave the Dream a 59-57 lead with 2:38 on the clock. Connecticut took charge after that with 10 straight points to end the period, lifting it to a 67-59 cushion going to the fourth.
It became a 16-0 Sun stretch when the hosts scored the first six points of the fourth quarter, putting the game out of reach.
–Field Level Media
