UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Usually, Connecticut Solar head coach Stephanie White begins her opening assertion on the podium with some iteration of: “I’m happy with our group.”
However, after the Solar’s 90-81 loss to the Minnesota Lynx, White took a unique tune.
“That was a troublesome one for us,” White mentioned. “They acquired to do just about no matter they wished to on the offensive finish of the ground. I really feel like we didn’t do a ok job, as coaches, in getting ready us to play at the moment. We acquired outplayed, we acquired out-executed, and we acquired out-coached.”
In Recreation 3, the Lynx shot 57.4% from the sector, setting a brand new document for the best area aim proportion that the Solar have let up in franchise postseason historical past. Napheesa Collier, who averaged simply 14 factors within the first two video games of the collection, scored 26 factors on 11-26 capturing.
“There was no yet one more pissed off after the previous few video games than Phee,” mentioned Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve. “I believed she was terrific in each facet of the sport.”
And whereas Collier placing up 26 factors isn’t out of the bizarre — she had 38 and 42-point outings within the first spherical — White and the Solar didn’t really feel like they gave Collier their greatest shot.
“Whenever you’re speaking about an MVP caliber participant, you’re not going to cease them,” White mentioned. “You’re simply going to attempt to make it troublesome. Did we make it as troublesome as we might have? No.”
White additionally famous they didn’t take away the others: Courtney Williams added 16 factors on 7-10 capturing, Kayla McBride 13 factors, and Bridget Carleton factors 2. In flip, the Lynx exploded for 90 factors — greater than 16 factors greater than their season common of 73.6 factors allowed.
“We are able to’t let all people else go off. We’ve acquired to include all people else,” White mentioned. “We are able to’t permit 4 gamers in double-figures. They’re too harmful of a group when that occurs. So, we’ve acquired to do a greater job collectively of creating positive that we make issues troublesome. We’ve acquired to do a greater job on all people else, too.”
Alyssa Thomas expressed her disappointment with the group’s effort — and obvious shift away from group basketball — on the podium.
“I feel we acquired to understand that we didn’t get right here by ourselves. We acquired right here as a group, and shifting the ball, and selecting folks aside,” Thomas mentioned. “At this level, yeah you need it — however we’re not going to recover from the hump with out utilizing one another. This was a poor show of what Connecticut basketball is about.”
Alyssa Thomas on what went flawed within the loss:
“I feel we acquired to understand that we didn’t get right here by ourselves. We acquired right here as a group, and shifting the ball, and selecting folks aside.”
“This was a poor show of what Connecticut basketball is about.” pic.twitter.com/us31YyQRju
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) October 5, 2024
For the Solar, Brionna Jones led the way in which with 21 factors on 8-13 FG, whereas DeWanna Bonner added 16 factors on 4-9 capturing. Thomas added 13 factors, 9 rebounds, and seven assists.
However, the beginning backcourt struggled offensively: Marina Mabrey scored 14 factors, however shot simply 1-11 from three, whereas DiJonai Carrington posted 13 on 6-15 capturing.
Nonetheless, it was the protection — Connecticut’s hallmark — that allow them down, above every little thing else.
“To come back out with an aggressive defensive plan, and to solely get three steals, it’s unacceptable,” Thomas mentioned. “We acquired to return to the drafting board, and we acquired to play folks which are going to return out and be able to battle.”
The Solar now path the Lynx 2-1 heading into Recreation 4. A loss would ship them dwelling within the semi-finals for the second consecutive 12 months, whereas a win would tie issues up heading again to Minneapolis.
“Massive time gamers present up when their backs are towards the wall,” Thomas mentioned. “Quite a lot of us have been on this place earlier than and have come out of it.”
However, they’re nonetheless alive. The Las Vegas Aces had been equally pissed off after a letdown Recreation 2, and responded with a blowout win to remain alive in Recreation 3.
“If you’d like your season to proceed, you wish to make it to the Finals, you bought to present it every little thing you bought,” Thomas mentioned, matter-of-fact. “That’s what the playoffs are all about.”
