Connect with us

Connecticut

Connecticut Sun vs. Minnesota Lynx Prediction, Preview, and Odds – 7-4-2024

Published

on

Connecticut Sun vs. Minnesota Lynx Prediction, Preview, and Odds – 7-4-2024


A matchup between two of the top teams in the WNBA takes place on Independence Day when the Connecticut Sun (15-4, 2nd East) take on the Minnesota Lynx (14-5, 1st West). The Sun are coming off an 11-point road win over the Mercury, and the Lynx just lost by nine on the road against the Liberty. These teams met once this season already, with the Sun winning by one at home in overtime. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:00 EST from the Target Center in Minneapolis, and can be found on Amazon Prime Video.

Let’s get into your favorite WNBA picks for tonight’s matchup between Connecticut and Minnesota.

 

Two Team Race in the East

The Eastern Conference of the WNBA has divided itself into two groups, there’s the Liberty and the Sun, and then there is everybody else. Connecticut is now 1.5-games behind New York for the top spot, but have a full 7.5-game lead over the third place team. They are second in the overall league standings, just a game ahead of Minnesota, highlighting the importance of this game. In their last outing, the Sun beat the Mercury behind 18 points from Brionna Jones.

Advertisement

Jones is a 6’3 forward who is one of five members of the Sun who averages double figures. She is scoring 13.2 PPG while adding 4.9 RPG on the inside. Their top scorer is DeWanna Bonner with 16.2 PPG, she is a 6’4 forward who adds another 6.1 RPG. Bonner can knock down the three, but the top shooter on the team is Tyasha Harris who makes 1.7 threes per game. Harris is a 5’10 guard averaging 11.3 PPG. The key to their team is Alyssa Thomas, she excels everywhere on the floor as the 6’2 forward leads the team with 9.5 RPG, 7.5 APG and 1.6 steals per game, while adding another 12.1 PPG.

The Sun rank 7th out of the 12 teams in the league in scoring by averaging 79.9 PPG, but they have the top defensive unit in the league by only allowing 73.1 PPG. The Sun play at a slow pace, and like to utilize their size on the inside to find shots, rather than launch quickly from deep. The Sun only shoot 17.1 threes per game, this ranks 11th in the league.

Top of the West

The Minnesota Lynx have the best record in the Western Conference, but their lead is narrowing. They are only one game ahead of the Seattle Storm in the standings, as Minnesota has now lost two of their last three games. Minnesota still sits in third in the overall league standings. The Lynx dropped their last game as they took on the top overall seed, the New York Liberty. In that game, Minnesota got 15 points and 10 rebounds from Napheesa Collier, but it was not enough to pull out the win.

Collier is a 6’1 forward putting up strong numbers this season, she leads the team with 20.6 PPG, 10.4 RPG and 2.2 steals per game. Collier has had a double-double in his last three games, including a huge 29-point, 11-rebound game in a loss to Dallas. Kayla McBride is the second scorer on the team, the 5’11 guard is getting 15.8 PPG and 3.7 APG. McBride is the top outside shooter on the team, making 3.1 threes per game on 43.3% shooting from deep. Alanna Smith is the only other Minnesota player averaging double figures, the 6’4 forward is averaging 11.9 PPG and 5.0 RPG.

Minnesota is fourth in the league in scoring at 83.0 PPG, and their defense ranks second by allowing just 74.4 PPG. The Lynx make 9.7 threes per game as a team, this is the third-best mark in the WNBA, and they have the best overall shooting percentage from the outside as they make 38.6% of their threes.

Advertisement

Wednesday’s Top Plays

Rest Of MLB Season – Right Now, You Can Get the Rest Of The MLB Season From Any Of Your Favorite Capper(s) For JUST $299 CLICK HERE

Same Game Parlay Get One Same Game Parlay (3 Or 4 Legs) Each Day For One FULL Week. Normally, $10 A Day, So You Save $25 as it is JUST $45 CLICK HERE

 

Advertisement

Best Bets for Connecticut Sun vs. Minnesota Lynx

Full-Game Side Bet

Insiders Status:

Rating:

The Lynx need to live and die by the three-pointer far more than Connecticut does, as the Sun’s style of play is more reliable on a day-to-day basis. Connecticut plays a slow game and pounds the ball inside to their several forwards who can all score around the rim, or grab offensive rebounds for second-chance putbacks. Connecticut has been consistent all season, they have had the same starting lineup for all 19 games, and each starter is averaging double figures. They share the ball well, while dominating the paint, and that type of play travels well. Minnesota lost the first game against Connecticut and only shot 4-21 from deep as the Sun’s defense was able to extend their defense and close out on shooters. The same will happen here as Connecticut is the best defensive team in the league and will keep this close enough to cover or win.

Take Connecticut with the points.

Advertisement

Prediction: Sun +2.5

Full-Game Total Pick

Insiders Status:

Rating:

These are the top two defenses in the WNBA in terms of points allowed per game. Connecticut plays at a slow pace by choice, as their lineup is littered with forwards who can score around the rim including Bonner, Thomas, and Jones. The Sun will not change their strategy, as their advantage in this game is in the post. The Lynx like to shoot from the outside, but they shot 19% from three the last time they played Connecticut. These two teams are also the best defenses in the league guarding the three point shot. Opponents only shoot 27.9% from deep when playing against Minnesota, and 29.3% against Connecticut. These teams will grind it out on the defensive end, as Connecticut takes their time offensively, leading to an under.

Advertisement

Take the under.

Prediction: Under

Author Profile

Paul Biagioli , “Paul Biagioli”

Paul has been a sports fan his entire life, and was an All-Conference basketball player at The University of Scranton. He is currently a high school basketball coach and a mathematics teacher with a Master’s in Business Administration. This unique combination gives Paul the ability to find mismatches from a coach’s perspective while having the ability to analyze statistical data to spot advantages. Paul will provide you with an array of statistics, trends, and analytics to prepare for any match-up. Follow Paul for up-to-date analysis and all your betting needs. We are thrilled to have Paul on our team. 

Advertisement



Source link

Connecticut

A Character-Rich Family Home in Connecticut That Bridges Past and Present

Published

on

A Character-Rich Family Home in Connecticut That Bridges Past and Present


When a house has been loved for generations, its walls tend to hold stories. In the case of one family residence in Darien, Connecticut, that sentiment was taken quite literally. On the casement between the living room and kitchen are ticks that denote decades of growth, a quiet record of childhoods unfolding in real time. Several of those measurements belong to the home’s newest steward—the original owners’ daughter—who was ready to put her own mark on the property.

Eager to see what she could make of the 1930s structure, she and her husband tapped British-born designer Becca Casey of Connecticut-based Becca Interiors to breathe new life—and old soul—into the interior. For Casey, being entrusted with that kind of emotional patina was a privilege she didn’t take lightly. “The greatest challenge was ensuring that the new extension had synergy with the original house while bringing together the couple’s different tastes and honoring the home’s history,” Casey says of the 2,400-square-foot space.

There was a strong desire to preserve the home’s character and the memories it holds.

That delicate balance shows up everywhere, from tailored silhouettes and clean lines for him to pattern and color for her. Nowhere is that nuance more evident than in the property’s oldest room, a long, beam-lined living space that once sat largely unused. Casey swathed it in an atmospheric mural, transforming it into a multi-zone haven centered on the fireplace, with moments of repose throughout where the family can gather to play a game or enjoy a book.

Advertisement

Around the home, Casey’s eye for nuance is unmistakable. She wields color, pattern, and shape with equal aplomb, expertly marrying form with function in a way that’s both timeless and fresh. A hidden television disappears behind drapery-lined cabinetry, the inner skeleton of an armchair is displayed like a work of art, a vintage dining table reveals a plaque from the husband’s hometown (a serendipitous discovery that made the piece instantly meaningful). In the end, reviving the dwelling wasn’t about reinvention for Casey—it was about the possibility that a new chapter can bring. The result is a space that, according to Casey, feels “quietly refined and effortlessly lived-in”—an elegant meeting point between memory and modern family life.

FAST FACTS:

Designer: Becca Casey, Becca Interiors

Location: Darien, Connecticut

The Space: A 1930s colonial with six bedrooms, across 2,400 square feet.


LIVING ROOM

Bare windows and a transportive wallpaper nod to the pastoral landscape.

Advertisement
Kate S Jordan

Chandelier: Lostine. Rug: Stanton. Wallpaper: House of Hackney. Coffee table: Jefferson West. Rug: Stanton Carpet.

The living room is the oldest space in the house, so Casey wanted to honor its bones while streamlining the layout for modern functionality. Custom Dmitriy & Co. sofas—linen on the top, patterned French mattress tufting at the base—typify the union between “his” and “her” tastes.

Cozy sitting area with an armchair and footrest next to a window.
Kate S Jordan

Sconce: Woven Shop. Lamp: Visual Comfort & Co. Chair: custom.

Dining area with a round table and wooden chairs.
Kate S Jordan

Table: custom, Becca Interiors. Chairs: Pottery Barn.

A traditional English roll armchair was tucked into a corner at the request of the husband, whose wish list included a spot to read. Aiming for a “layered floor plan,” with distinct areas for the family’s many needs, Casey added a game table as a visual anchor with a direct sight line to the main entryway of the home.

Advertisement

DEN

An original stone fireplace anchors the family-ready space.

den
Kate S Jordan

Pendant: Woka. Coffee table: LF Collection. Sconce: Hector Finch.

Cozy living room featuring a stone fireplace and vintage decor.
Kate S Jordan

Coffee table: LF Collection. Rug: Woodard Weave. Chik blinds: Joss Graham.

Drenched in French Gray paint by Farrow & Ball and grounded by the original stone fireplace, the den is carefully choreographed to support togetherness, with a custom sectional and hidden TV.


DINING ROOM

The sun-drenched space looks out to the backyard pond.

Advertisement
dining room
Kate S Jordan

Paint: School House White, Farrow & Ball. Chairs: Maison Louis Drucker. Table: antique. Tablecloths: Zara Home, Cabana Home. Pedants: Lightology.

Part of the new addition, the serene dining room is flooded with light, thanks to expansive floor to (almost) ceiling windows. Layered textiles keep the antique table—a happy find, originally made in the husband’s hometown—geared toward casual meals.


PRIMARY BEDROOM

Salvaged beams mimic the look of the originals in the living room.

bedroom
Kate S Jordan

Paint: Shaded White, Farrow & Ball. Rug: Lulu and Georgia. Bedding: The Company Store. Dresser: English Farmhouse Furniture.

Inspired by Belgian interiors, the elevated placement of the fireplace isn’t just a design flex—it’s an experiential choice that puts the flames right at eye level when lounging in bed. Beside it, two vintage English armchairs stun with their exposed interior, a Becca Interiors signature touch.

Advertisement

PRIMARY BATH

Natural materials were chosen for their ability to patina over time.

bathroom
Kate S Jordan

Mirror: Rejuvenation. Floor tile: Arto. Wall paint: Slipper Statin, Farrow & Ball. Sconces: O’lampia.

In the primary bathroom, wellness comes through atmosphere rather than gadgets. A Drummonds soaking tub is positioned for prime pond views, with a gray-green base (Drop Cloth, Farrow & Ball) that reinforces the room’s soothing palette.


WORKSTATION

Smart features make family management a cinch.

desk
Kate S Jordan

Roman shade: Hunter Douglas. Desk paint: Studio Green, Farrow & Ball. Chair: Soho Home. Rug: Merribrook Collection. Flushmount: RW Guild.

Advertisement

To make the most of a hall nook, Casey crafted a compact desk where the wife, a teacher, can grade papers. Labeled drawers store art supplies, while a floor-to-ceiling cabinet (at side) acts as a hub for deliveries.


About the Designer

Becca Casey is the Principal Director and founder of Becca Interiors. Raised in the countryside of Southwest England, her earliest influences were rooted in history, nature, and the quiet beauty of rural life. These foundations continue to shape her design philosophy today, one that blends heritage with modern sensibility while honoring craftsmanship and the beauty of daily life at home.



Source link

Continue Reading

Connecticut

Hartford community grieves men killed in police shootings

Published

on

Hartford community grieves men killed in police shootings


The Hartford community is grappling with two police shootings that happened within eight days of each other. Both started off as mental health calls about someone in distress.

People came together to remember one of the men killed at a vigil on Wednesday evening.

With hands joined, a prayer for peace and comfort was spoken for the family of Everard Walker. He was having a mental health crisis when a family member called 211 on Feb.19.

Two mental health professionals from the state-operated Capitol Regional Mental Health Center requested Hartford police come with them to Walker’s apartment on Capitol Avenue.

Advertisement

A scuffle ensued, and police said it looked like Walker was going to stab an officer. The brief fight ended with an officer shooting and killing Walker.

The family is planning to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the city.

“All I will have now is a tombstone and the voicemails he left on my phone that I listen over and over again at night just so I can fall asleep,” Menan Walker, one of Walker’s daughters, said.

City councilman Josh Michtom (WF) is asking whether police could have acted differently.

“To me, the really concerning thing is why the police were there at all, why they went into that apartment in the way that they did, in the numbers that they did,” he said.

Advertisement

The president of Hartford’s police union, James Rutkauski, asked the community to hold their judgment and wait for a full investigation by the Inspector General’s office to be completed.

A different tone was taken in a statement released about another police shooting on Blue Hills Avenue on Feb. 27.

Rutkauski said the union fully supports the officer who fired at 55-year-old Steven Jones, who was holding a knife during a mental health crisis.

In part, the union’s statement says that Jones “deliberately advanced on the officer in a manner that created an immediate threat of death or serious bodily injury. This was a 100% justified use of deadly force.”

The Inspector General’s office will determine if the officer was justified following an investigation.

Advertisement

The officer who shot Jones was the fourth to arrive on the scene. Three others tried to get him to drop the knife, even using a taser, before the shooting.

“It just feels like beyond the conduct of any one officer, we have this problem, which is that we send cops for every problem,” Michtom said. “I don’t know how you can de-escalate at the point of a gun.”

Jones died from his injuries on Tuesday.  

The union’s statement went on to say that officers should not be society’s default for mental health professionals. The statement said in part, “We ask for renewed commitment from our legislators to remove police from being the vanguard of what should be a mental health professional response.”

The officers involved in both shootings are on administrative leave.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Connecticut

Connecticut Launches New Era for Community Hospital Care – UConn Today

Published

on

Connecticut Launches New Era for Community Hospital Care – UConn Today


Marked by a ceremonial ribbon cutting and attended by Governor Ned Lamont, state legislators, Waterbury officials, and community leaders, UConn Health celebrated the acquisition of Waterbury Hospital which as of today is now the UConn Health Waterbury Hospital.

“This is a defining moment for healthcare in Connecticut,” said Dr. Andrew Agwunobi, CEO of UConn Health Community Network.  “We now have the opportunity to take the award -winning academic quality and service of UConn Health and share it with the wonderful employees, doctors and community of Waterbury.”

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont described the initiative as a forward-looking investment in the future of healthcare access across Connecticut.

“Connecticut is leading with innovation,” said Connecticut Governor Lamont. “The UConn Health Community Network reflects a proactive approach to strengthening community-based care by connecting it directly to the capabilities of our state’s public academic medical center. What begins in Waterbury today, represents a new model designed to expand opportunity, access, and excellence for communities statewide.”

Advertisement

In addition to UConn Health Waterbury Hospital, the Network includes UConn Health Community Network Medical Group and UConn Health Waterbury Health at Home. The model preserves each member’s local identity and will grow thoughtfully over time to improve quality, expand access, and reduce the total cost of care. 

“This reflects a bold step forward in how we think about healthcare in Connecticut,” said John Driscoll, Chair of the UConn Health Board of Directors. “Today we celebrate the beginning of a new approach to community-based care. We move forward with clarity of purpose and shared commitment to serve our communities better together.”

 Comptroller Sean Scanlon highlighted the significance of the model for the long-term evolution of healthcare delivery in Connecticut. 

“This partnership represents thoughtful leadership at a pivotal time for healthcare,” said Connecticut Comptroller Sean Scanlon. “By aligning community hospitals with academic medicine, Connecticut is building a modern framework that positions our healthcare system to meet the needs of patients today and into the future.”

Advertisement

“Hosting this celebration on our campus is deeply meaningful for our staff, physicians and the families we serve,” said Deborah Weymouth, President of UConn Health Waterbury Hospital. “Waterbury’s legacy of care continues, and we are tremendously proud to have a strong partner who is deeply committed to our community and help lead this next chapter for healthcare.”

Welcome UConn Health Waterbury Hospital!



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending