Sun 85, Fever 83: That winning feeling is nice

 It looked for all the world like Friday’s game in Indiana was going to end in the same fashion last week’s near upset against Minnesota.

The two games were eerily similar, all the way down to a 16-0 Fever run in the fourth quarter that eventually gave them a 75-74 lead with 3:06 left when Aliyah Boston made a layup. With Rachid Meziane down to his last time out and reluctant to use it, who was going to stop the bleeding?


The rookie, Saniya Rivers, of course. Rivers got herself to the free throw line, then hit another massive three-pointer (after Bria Hartley did the same) and the Sun, finally, were in the win column, 85-83, with a pretty big upset at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and I’m sure they didn’t care how they did it.


I’m not afraid to eat a little crow now and then, and if you read the preview, I didn’t give the Sun much of a chance. But Marina Mabrey and Tina Charles did what veterans do, lifted the team in its darkest hour and got their confidence up. 


But to get to the fourth quarter moment of doubt Friday, Connecticut had to get through perhaps a bigger one much earlier in the evening. Lexi Hull got an easy bucket to make it 12-4 Indiana and a frustrated Meziane called time, probably seeing visions of the Dallas and Atlanta lopsided losses dancing in his head.


But Charles came out of that time out with a bucket, then Mabrey hit a shot after assisting on two straight baskets, the Sun trailed just 23-21 after one quarter and the rest is history, the Sun will not go 0-44, and did not look like the worst team in the WNBA. The champs await Sunday in Brooklyn, but winning feels good, doesn’t it?


What else did we learn from a really tough night for Indiana, who picked up a couple more injuries?:




 

  1. Respect, Marina Mabrey - I’ve been a bit harsh on Mabrey early and questioned after Tuesday’s loss whether she was cut out for the role she was going to have to play this season with the Sun. But she gave some good insight on Sarah Spain’s podcast yesterday (at about the 32-minute mark) on how she has come to terms with being in Connecticut and maybe this is a test for her to show she can be a leader. She certainly was on Friday night, and as she scored 15 points in the third quarter, she actually got booed by the Indiana crowd, which must have made her feel awesome. Now we just have to get her to stop asking for a challenge every time she fouls (even if she was right once Friday).

  2. Mabrey and Saniya Rivers made an interesting duo - Cue up the Odd Couple music, I guess. Rivers has reportedly been working on her shooting with Mabrey, and was 3-for-5 from behind the arc, obviously the Sun needed all of them. Postgame, the pair was laughing and joking like old friends. Staying positive is going to be huge this season, and the more positivity Rivers can throw Mabrey’s way, the better. Rivers had another stellar game, scoring 12 points with six assists, no turnovers, and a game-high +14, showing she can handle a little point guard when needed

  3. Kudos to the bench -  Haley Peters scored nine points, making all four of her shots, and although she had trouble defensively in the paint, was solid in some key spots. Hartley started for Jacy Sheldon, but Sheldon was productive in her minutes as well. It was mostly the bench that got them the big lead in the first place early in the fourth quarter.





Player of the game:  Marina Mabrey - In that podcast interview, Mabrey also talked about how she tries (sometimes unsuccessfully) to calm herself down, crediting both the assistant coaches and Rivers again for helping her when she needs it. Winning definitely helps, but Mabrey - who finished with 26 points (on 10-for-17 shooting), five rebounds and five assists - stayed composed in the tough times as well.


Inside the numbers : 60.0% -  Effective field goal percentage for Connecticut in this contest, including 10-for-20 from three-point range. The Sun entered last in the league in that category, so it certainly makes the offense run smoother when shots go in.


Under the radar: Rivers was on the bench for a lot of that 16-0 Indiana run that eventually gave the Fever the lead and put the game in peril. Meziane looked a bit lost in that span without many time outs to work with and is probably going to need Rivers on the court in crunch time, probably a Hartley, Rivers, Mabrey, Charles, and Nelson-Ododa lineup for now until something changes or someone proves otherwise.


Quotable:  “It’s hard being a leader at the highest level, credit my teammates when I’m making mistakes and I’m not doing great and instilling confidence in me. They’re helping me instill confidence in myself, so I appreciate them for that.” - Marina Mabrey


Next up: Sunday at New York, 3 p.m.

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