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Sky’s blueprint for beating the Sun comes down to the details

Candace Parker needs more help from her teammates for the Sky to come back in the semifinal series. (Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Curt Miller isn’t afraid to say it.

His team doesn’t have the smooth, offensive beauty that the Sky, Storm and Aces have. When the Sun win, they win ugly.

“There are a lot of free-flowing offenses of the teams left, and we know who we are,” he said on Sunday after his team upset the Sky 68-63 in Game 1 of the semifinals. “We are blue collar. We are going to be good around the basket, we are going to rebound, but we have to make it messy. And we got the game messy tonight, which was to our advantage.”

While the Sun are comfortable in that mess, the Sky are not. Their season has been defined by silky cuts to the hoop and organic ball movement.

“We need to be more in rhythm,” Julie Allemand said Tuesday after a practice session. “We just have to share the ball like we do. We were static, we were just waiting. We need to run, don’t overthink, just play our game.”

On Sunday, the Sun dictated everything from the pace to the style of play. Connecticut did all the little things right, while the Sky came up short in the details, an area they’ve typically thrived in this season.

Of the five matchups these two teams have had — four in the regular season and one in the postseason — Miller says the outcome has been decided in the final few minutes.

The reasons for the Sky’s loss were imprinted all over the contest, but the final four minutes of play offer a clear snapshot of the entire game. Here’s how it went down Sunday and what it means for the semifinal series as the teams prepare to tip off Wednesday in Game 2.

3:58 left: Alyssa Thomas drives to the hoop and knocks down a floater

Thomas’ game is a perfect example of the kind of grit Miller wants from his players. Despite shooting just 6-for-16 from the field (37.5 percent) in Sunday’s game, she made an impact in other ways. She had 12 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and, despite the overall sloppiness of the game, just one turnover.

Thomas’ ability to do everything for the Sun is a major key to victory. In the Sun’s 11 losses this season, Thomas has been held under five in one category (points, assists or rebounds) in all but three. The Sun thrive when she has a hand in every play. To have success in this series, the Sky need to limit at least one aspect of Thomas’ game, whether it’s stopping her from scoring, keeping her off the glass or limiting her ability to create for others.

3:26 left: Candace Parker knocks down a 3-pointer, assisted by Courtney Vandersloot

Parker did everything in her power to will the Sky to a win, finishing with 19 points, 18 rebounds, six blocks, five assists and four steals. Chicago, though, has found success in its balanced attack this season, and it didn’t get that on Sunday. Kahleah Copper’s 13 points and Emma Meesseman’s 10 were both under their season averages. Beyond those three, the Sky didn’t have another double-digit scorer. Allie Quigley finished with seven points while going 0-for-5 from 3-point range, while Vandersloot had just five points.

The Sky also didn’t get any major contributions from their bench, as Allemand, Azurá Stevens and Rebekah Gardner combined for nine points, seven rebounds and four assists.

In addition to the uncharacteristic lack of balance, Vandersloot’s performance was highly uncharacteristic. The guard averages 6.5 assists per game, second-best in the WNBA, but her dish to Parker to tie the game at 60 was just her second of the contest. Vandersloot has had only one game this season with fewer assists than the two she recorded Sunday: In a win over the Sparks on June 23, she finished with one assist in 16 minutes of play.

The Sky are capable of winning when Vandersloot doesn’t score, but they need her to be active in running the offense.

3:08 left: Kahleah Copper misses a 2-pointer

The Sky had a chance to take the lead at this point, and despite the miss, Copper is exactly the player they should go to in crunch time. Last season’s Finals MVP averages 15.7 points per game and has more than proved she’s capable of stepping up in big moments.

Copper started the game 4-for-4 with eight points and then didn’t take another shot in the second or third quarters. She had five attempts in the fourth. Copper needs to be a focal point of the Sky’s offense if they want to be successful in Game 2.

2:35 left: Brionna Jones makes a layup

The Sun have relied on Jones to make an impact off the bench all season — which is why she is a leading candidate for Sixth Player of the Year — and her impact was felt once again on Sunday. She scored 12 points off the bench to go along with three rebounds, three assists and one block.

1:31 left: DeWanna Bonner makes two free throws

Like Thomas, Bonner does a lot of the dirty work for the Sun. She finished with 15 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals, but no moment was more important than these free throws to give Connecticut a three-point lead. Bonner shot just 4-for-16 from the field during the game but still found a way to make an impact. It was exactly the kind of messy performance that Miller wants from his players.

1:08: Jonquel Jones blocks Parker

The Sun’s defense was one of the biggest factors in their opening-game upset. After holding the Sky to 35.5 percent shooting and 26.7 percent from beyond the arc, Jones put an exclamation mark on the performance by rejecting Parker and maintaining her team’s three-point lead. The Sky’s last point came on a 3-pointer from Meesseman with 2:11 left in the game. From then on, Connecticut locked down.

The Sun proved capable of covering up a lot of shortcomings — like their 37.3 percent shooting performance — with defense, and the way they smothered Chicago down the stretch was a major key to the win.

Jones, who was named to the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team on Tuesday, did an excellent job guarding the paint and forcing Chicago into high-difficulty shots.

Eden Laase is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.

Gotham FC Signs Record-Breaking Sponsorship Deal with Dove

Emily Sonnett shows off the new Dove sponsorship above her last name on her Gotham jersey.
Dove's partnership with Gotham is the brand's first major investment in a women's sports team. (Gotham FC)

Gotham and Dove are teaming up, with the 2023 NWSL champs signing a record-setting multi-year kit partnership with the beauty brand on Thursday.

As Dove's first major investment in a women's sports team, the move also ranks as the highest-ever back-of-jersey sponsorship deal in NWSL history.

While Gotham did not provide specific numbers, the contract surpasses Bay FC's then-record $500,000 deal with private equity giant Sixth Street.

Dove joins Gotham in fight to keep girls in sports

The partnership is a part of Gotham's "Keep Her in the Game" initiative, a community effort launched last August to help adolescent girls stay in sports. Dove will serve as the program's presenting sponsor.

"Dove is the ultimate leader in female strength and empowerment, and we could not be prouder to partner with the brand in a number of impactful ways," Gotham FC chief business officer Ryan Dillon said in the team's release. "We are excited to team up with Dove to create key pathways for young female athletes to stay in sports, develop confidence, and become strong future leaders."

"The partnership is taking effect at a crucial time when supporting girls in sports has never been more important."

With girls twice as likely as boys to abandon sports by age 14, "Keep Her in the Game" aims to bolster young athletes' resilience and amplify the joy and connection that happens on and off the playing field.

After impacting 30 local New Jersey and New York youth clubs and more than 500 players in 2024, the initiative is aiming to double its reach in 2025. It will also pass the proverbial mic to the young athletes themselves by creating a Youth Leadership Council.

"The data is clear: Sports build confidence, leadership skills and resilience in young women, benefiting them for years to come," stated Laura DiMiceli, the head of personal care sports marketing for Dove's parent company, Unilever North America. "Dove is committed to supporting 'Keep Her in the Game' as part of our overall mission to help young girls pursue sports and keep playing the games they love."

Unrivaled to Crown First-Ever 1v1 Tournament Champion

Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier dribbles the ball during an Unrivaled game.
Napheesa Collier is one of four Unrivaled players competing for the 1v1 tournament's $200,000 prize. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball will crown its first-ever 1v1 tournament champion on Friday night, when all four semifinalists take the court with a $200,000 grand prize on the line.

Vinyl guard Arike Ogunbowale will kick off the semis against Mist forward Aaliyah Edwards, before Unrivaled co-founder and Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier faces Rose forward Azurá Stevens. The victors will immediately advance to the night's best-of-three final series.

Notably, Friday's set puts alma mater pride on center court. A trio of UConn alums in Collier, Stevens, and Edwards will all clock in, while Ogunbowale reps Notre Dame — one of just three teams to beat the Huskies this NCAA season.

Along with those priceless bragging rights, the semifinalists are battling for a six-figure payday, though none will leave empty-handed. Each are guaranteed at least $25,000, with $50,000 on deck for the tournament's runner-up.

The players' Unrivaled teammates will also be watching with interest, as the winner's entire 3×3 team will snag $10,000 each.

Though 1v1 can feel like a schoolyard version of basketball, with this much money involved, expect the competition to rise miles above playground tussles.

Rose BC's Angel Reese defends Mist forward Aaliyah Edwards during an Unrivaled game.
Aaliyah Edwards is one of three UConn alums in the Unrivaled 1v1 semifinals. (Rich Storry/Getty Images)

Endurance could decide Unrivaled 1v1 tournament champion

Friday's format is in part a test of stamina, as players stare down a grueling schedule where the eventual winner must play either three or four 1v1 games in a single night.

To that end, Collier's elite conditioning could make her the favorite, if she can outlast Stevens in the pair's semifinal.

"Her motor is unmatched," Stevens said of Collier's endurance, a key factor in her success so far. "I try to conserve some energy in between possessions, especially when the games get really tiring."

Motors aside, Friday's title will boil down to fundamentals — and which athlete best leverages their personal skillset.

"I have to use my size and stick to my strengths," said Edwards. "It’s about imposing my will and getting the job done."

How to watch the Unrivaled 1v1 tournament finals

The inaugural Unrivaled 1v1 tournament concludes on Friday. Live coverage begins at 7:30 PM ET on TNT.

USC Beats UCLA as JuJu Watkins Ends Bruins’ Undefeated NCAA Season

USC's JuJu Watkins drives to the basket between UCLA's Janiah Barker and Elina Aarnisalo.
Watkins scored 38 points to hand UCLA their first loss of the season. (Robert Hanashiro/Imagn Images)

The last perfect DI basketball season has officially fallen, as USC phenom JuJu Watkins put up a historic performance to lead the No. 6 Trojans to a 71-60 win over then-undefeated No. 1 UCLA on Thursday.

Watkins finished the night with 38 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, and eight blocks, becoming the first DI player to register an overall stat-line so robust in 20 years.

"It took everything. It's been a rough couple weeks for me," Watkins said after the game, referencing uncharacteristic performances leading up to Thursday's rivalry matchup. "To be able to kind of snap back into it and get into my rhythm here at Galen versus UCLA, it's really all I could ask for."

"I'm really just like a kid out there and living out my dream."

Throughout the back-and-forth battle, Watkins's consistency made all the difference. She scored every one of USC's 14 second-quarter points, and helped lead a monster fourth quarter in which the Trojans slammed the door by outscoring the Bruins 24-8.

"I didn't teach JuJu any of that," commented USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb after the game. "[I] just try to put her in situations to be her best self, and she does most of that work. What I was so impressed with tonight, obviously, was just the mentality she came out with."

With the marquee win, USC now sits firmly atop the Big Ten. That said, UCLA will have a chance to avenge the loss in the pair's March 1st rematch, when that final regular-season game could decide the conference title.

Until then, the Trojans will be riding high on their Thursday night dominance.

"We'll never forget this night," Gottlieb said. "It's as good as anything I've ever seen."

UConn star Paige Bueckers dribbles the ball during a game.
UConn takes on South Carolina on Sunday. (Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

How to watch Top 10 NCAA basketball this weekend

With no undefeated teams left in DI basketball, Watkins's performance has put the field on notice to not make any assumptions about who might end up on top.

While Sunday will see USC roll against unranked Washington and UCLA try to bounce back against No. 22 Michigan State, the NCAA slate will also serve up two huge Top 10 matchups.

First, No. 7 UConn will take their final major regular-season test when they visit No. 4 South Carolina at 1 PM ET, when Paige Bueckers and the Huskies will aim to pull off a similarly impressive USC-inspired upset.

Then at 3 PM ET, No. 5 LSU heads to No. 3 Texas, where the Tigers will hunt their first win over the Longhorns in more than 22 years.

Both elite meetings are set to air live on ABC.

Pro Women’s Lacrosse League Debuts at WLL Championship Series

A promotional graphic for the WLL Championship Series.
The WLL played its first-ever pro games at this week's Lexus Championship Series. (ESPN)

The brand-new professional Women's Lacrosse League (WLL) made its official debut this week just outside of Washington, DC, where its first-ever game saw the New York Charging take down the Maryland Charm 14-13 in the WLL Championship Series.

After the inaugural Tuesday result, the action continued on Wednesday, when the California Palms opened their WLL account by getting the better of the Boston Guard in a tight 16-15 matchup.

Founded and run by the Premier Lacrosse League, the WLL fosters top-level competition as the sport gears up for its 2028 Olympic return.

The four-team WLL Championship Series follows an Olympic-style "sixes" format. Unlike traditional lacrosse, which uses a larger pitch and 10 athletes per team, sixes employs a condensed field with six players per side.

In the Championship Series, teams are first competing in three round-robin games to determine semifinal seedings. The tournament will culminate with the knockout semifinal and final rounds on Sunday and Monday, respectively.

Team USA lacrosse star Charlotte North gestures during a 2022 World Championship game.
Team USA star Charlotte North competes for the WLL's Boston Guard. (Ryan Hunt/Getty Images)

WLL looks to level up lacrosse ahead of 2028 Olympics

Despite the competition's quick turnaround, the WLL represents a growing professionalization movement in women's lacrosse — with all involved betting big on the sport's Olympic success in LA.

When lacrosse steps back onto the Olympic stage in 2028, it will have been 80 years since its last 1948 outing — and even then, it was merely a demonstration event. The last time the sport earned medals was in 1908.

Furthermore, the sport's entire Olympic history rests in the men's game — 2028 will see women take the Olympic lacrosse pitch for the first time ever.

"We are honored to be a part of the WLL, and we couldn't be more excited to bring this game to the fans in new ways than ever before," said Boston Guard star Charlotte North in a league statement.

"We firmly believe that this is the beginning of what will be a monumental movement in the game of professional women's lacrosse, and for female athletes around the globe.... It's our time."

Former Northwestern lacrosse star Izzy Scane shoots the ball during an NCAA game.
Izzy Scane, the NCAA DI lacrosse career scoring leader, plays for the New York Charging. (Greg Fiume/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

How to watch the WLL Championship Series

The tournament's round-robin play continues with the Maryland Charm facing off against the Boston guard at 9 PM ET on Thursday, before the California Palms contend with the New York Charging at 6 PM ET on Friday.

All WLL Championship Series games will stream live on ESPN+, with Sunday's and Monday's knockout rounds airing live on ESPN2.

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