Huge fourth vaults Dream past Sun, 75-70

Angel McCoughtry had 25 points and eight rebounds, and the Atlanta Dream dominated the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter en route to a 75-70 victory over the visiting Connecticut Sun on Friday night at McCamish Pavilion.

Brittney Sykes had 13 points and Damiris Dantas added 11 as Atlanta (7-6) halted a two-game slide. The Dream scored the first 20 points of the final quarter as part of a 24-0 surge to rally past the Sun.

Alex Bentley scored 18 points for Connecticut (7-5), which dropped its fourth straight game. Chiney Ogwumike scored 16 points but committed seven turnovers while Jasmine Thomas had 13 points but made just 2 of 13 field-goal attempts.

The Sun were plagued by 21 turnovers while shooting 35.8 percent from the field, including 6-of-20 from 3-point range. Connecticut was 16-of-23 from the foul line.

The Dream shot 37.7 percent from the field, including 2-of-11 from 3-point range. But Atlanta was 27-of-41 from the free-throw line to help overcome 16 turnovers.

Atlanta trailed by nine late in the third quarter before exploding for the 24 consecutive points.

Monique Billings hit a jumper to give the Dream a 57-56 edge with 6:44 remaining in the contest and followed with five more consecutive points to make it a six-point margin. McCoughtry scored the next six points to give Atlanta a 68-56 lead.

Renee Montgomery capped the burst with a 3-pointer to make it a 15-point differential with 3:15 remaining.

Ogwumike scored on the inside 14 seconds later for Connecticut’s first points of the final quarter. Her basket started a string of 10 straight points as the Sun pulled within 71-66 with 50.9 seconds to play.

Connecticut trailed 73-70 after Bentley hit a short jumper with 10.2 seconds left. Atlanta’s Layshia Clarendon hit two free throws with 9.4 seconds to go as the Dream closed it out.

Shekinna Stricklen drained a 3-pointer with 5:13 left in the third quarter to give the Sun a 50-37 advantage.

Atlanta responded with a 10-2 push to move within five. The Dream later scored the final four of the quarter to trail 56-51 entering the final stanza.

Ogwumike had 12 first-half points as Connecticut led 37-29 at the break.

–Field Level Media