Sky Can't Recover From Rough Start vs. Sun
The Chicago Sky couldn't win back-to-back games for the third time this year. After beating the defending WNBA champions in the New York Liberty on Thursday, the Sky looked like the worst team in the league on Saturday against the one with the worst record in the league.
A disappointing 94-84 performance by the 2021 WNBA champions gave their adversary, the Connecticut Sun, their third win in a row. That's something Chicago has not done this season.
Coming off a outing on the road in which both Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso recorded 20 and 10 games (points and rebounds, respectively), the Sky had just as much, if not more, momentum ahead of this contest as the Sun.
final. @UChicagoMed | #skytown pic.twitter.com/7u0NZzRFHx
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) August 23, 2025
Sky Get Outscored By Wide Marin in Opening Period
Chicago did not come out with any intensity on offense or defense. The Sky ended the first quarter at Wintrust Arena on Saturday down 28-13. They were doubled up by the Sun, the team with the worst record in the WNBA.
Former Sky guard, star Marina Mabrey opened up the game with five early points. Within a 30-minute span, she made a pull-up jumper, and a three-point basket to put the Sky down 5-0.
After Kamilla Cardoso's layup, Mabrey connect on her third field goal of the quarter. With her second three pointer of the game, Mabrey made it 16-8 with the Sun on top of the Sky with 4:33 left to play in the first quarter.
The Connecticut Sun star added one more basket, as did Mamignan Toure in the last few minutes to put their team up 28-13. The Sky had to play down the rest of the game and could never recover.
In the game's next three quarters, the Chicago Sky outscored the Connecticut Sun. However, it was a little too late to make up for a terrible opening period of play.
The Sun's Starters Cooked the Chicago Sky
In addition to Marina Mabrey scoring 20 points on Saturday, she added four rebounds and eight assists. Yet, two more Connecticut players scored more than her.
Future Hall of Famer Tina Charles tallied 23 points and 10 rebounds. She made five of her six shots from the free-throw line. Hartley tied Charles for the team-high of 23 points, but did so with more accuracy. The polarizing Sun player went eight-for-nine and made all three of her shots from deep.
Kia Nurse had a team-high of 19 points for the Sky off the bench. Reese logged another double-double, tying a record with the most in any WNBA player's first two years. Her 11-point, 11-rebound showing could not tilt the scale in favor of the 2021 WNBA champions.
Next up for Chicago is the first meeting of the 2025 WNBA regular season against the Las Vegas Aces. This will be the first time the Sky's head coach faces his former team. Tyler Marsh was an assistant with the Aces before joining Chicago's sideline.
The Sky will tip-off against the Aces on Monday night at 7:00 p.m. CT. The game is available on NBA TV, as well.
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My name is Scott Conrad and I am a Contributor for the Chicago Sky with Sports Illustrated.com. I am also a Contributor with FanSided on NinerNoise, as well as Da Windy City. In addition, I am the Site Editor/Expert for The View from Avalon. I spent two seasons (2015 & 2016) with the Tampa Bay Times as a Correspondent covering high school football. I am a two-time published author with more work to come. In my teenage years, I started watching both MLS and WNBA start in 1996 and grow to be the juggernauts they are in their respective sports. Much love to the career on and off the court for fellow-Napervillian and former Sky forward Candace Parker. Outside of the sports journalism world, I am a travel volleyball coach. I accepted the Head Coach position with Greater Cincinnati Volleyball Club for their U13-2 team. In terms of active sports, I play volleyball, soccer, softball, kickball and train in mixed martial arts.