Connecticut takes 1-0 lead in WNBAfinals
Associated Press
UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Lindsay Whalen made the most of the biggest game of her professional career.
The rookie guard led the Connecticut Sun to a 68-64 victory over the Seattle Storm on Friday night in the opening game of the WNBA Finals.
She set a team playoff mark with nine assists and had 11 points, two steals and two blocked shots. Whalen also helped shut down Storm star Sue Bird, who finished with six turnovers and had 12 points on 4-for-11 shooting.
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"We know we're a good team and as long as we play the right way and share the ball we should be in position," Whalen said.
Bird and the Storm were stymied all night by Whalen and the Sun defense.
Much of the 9,341 fans in the sellout crowd had watched Bird star at UConn, where she won two NCAA titles. She drew a deafening roar during introductions, but after the opening tip, the Sun took her out of her comfort zone.
"They forced us to do things that we were not necessarily wanting to do or used to doing," Bird said. "More than anything I thought their transition killed us."
Whalen, who led Minnesota to its first Final Four appearance last season, kept the Sun's transition game in high gear. She also set the tone for the solid defense which kept Lauren Jackson, the league's leading scorer, in check for most of the night.
"They really dictated the tempo tonight," Storm coach Anne Donovan said.
SEATTLE (64)
Jackson 6-19 2-2 16, Sam 2-7 1-1 5, Vodichkova 1-4 0-0 2, Bird 4-11 3-4 12, Lennox 7-17 0-0 17, Burse 2-5 0-0 4, Thompson 1-7 0-0 2, Bevilaqua 2-2 0-0 4, Edwards 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 26-74 6-7 64.
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CONNECTICUT (68)
Palmer 7-13 1-2 16, Sales 3-7 1-2 7, McWilliams-Franklin 5-12 0-1 10, Whalen 4-9 2-4 11, Douglas 6-11 3-4 18, Jones 3-4 0-1 6, Brungo 0-4 0-0 0, Willingham 0-0 0-0 0, Black 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 28-61 7-14 68.
Seattle 29 ; 35-- 64
; Connecticut 33 ; 35-- 68;
