Sun, Mercury Take Different Paths - Hartford Courant

UNCASVILLE — In some ways, the Phoenix Mercury and Connecticut Sun were similarly situated when this season began, strange considering the Mercury were the defending WNBA champions and the Sun had the worst record in the league last season. While the Sun were without Chiney Ogwumike, Kelsey Griffin, Allie Hightower and Katie Douglas, the Mercury missed Diana Taurasi, who is voluntarily sitting the season out, and Brittney Griner, suspended for the first seven games after the... And while the Sun were incorporating six new players, the Mercury were adding seven — Shameka Christon, Monique Currie, Cayla Francis, Alex Harden, Leilani Mitchell, Noelle Quinn and Marta Xargay. But as the season hits the homestretch, it is clear the Mercury have survived in much better shape, something that will be on display Thursday when they play the Sun at the Mohegan Sun Arena. The Sun (12-15), hit extremely hard by in-season injuries that leave them without Alex Bentley, Alyssa Thomas and Elizabeth Williams, have lost five straight and 14 of 19 since starting the season 7-1. The Mercury (16-11) are already in the... They are 3 ½ games behind fourth-place Washington (15-11) for the final playoff spot with seven games to play. they've lost the season series tiebreaker to the Mystics. "We are just fighting for our pride right now and we aren't really sure about playoffs, but we just want to leave our mark on the season and play for us," Sun guard Chelsea Gray said. Source: www.courant.com