UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) - Rookie Chiney Ogwumike had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Renee Montgomery also had 18 points to help the Connecticut Sun beat the Atlanta Dream 85-76 on Sunday.
Allison Hightower added 13 points and six rebounds, and Kelsey Bone had 12 points for the Sun (2-5). Last in the Eastern Conference, Connecticut was coming off losses at Indiana on Thursday night and Chicago on Friday night.
“I think that we just focus on what we did right (each) game and we try to correct what we did wrong,” Ogwumike said. “We’re not dwelling on the loss column. We’re trying to build to add in the win column.
“I think the last loss (101-82 to Chicago) was really tough for me because I’m not used to this. And a lot of us (who are new) All-Americans, Players of the Year, stuff like that. It’s not like we want this to happen at all. It’s against our DNA.”
The Sun played without starter Kelsey Griffin due to a gastrointestinal ailment.
Tiffany Hayes led Atlanta (3-3) with 17 points, and Erika de Souza had 15 points and eight rebounds. Angel McCoughtry, the Dream’s leading scorer, was 2 of 14 from the field and had seven points.
McCoughtry missed the third game of the season with a rhomboid strain, and she’s dealing with bumps and bruises.
“I still think she’s hurting a little bit,” coach Michael Cooper said. “She had something (bothering her) in her back. … I think it’s a little bit of a residual effect from playing overseas (in Turkey) all that time (during the offseason). That’s probably catching up with her.”
The Sun pulled away with a 16-4 run in the first half. Hightower began the run with a 3-pointer, followed by two free throws. Rookie Alex Thomas ended it with a three-point play to give Connecticut a 31-20 lead with 6:38 left in the half.
The Sun never trailed again. Bone’s putback gave them their biggest lead, 78-57 with over 5 minutes left.
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