Connecticut

Phoenix Mercury, minus Diana Taurasi and Becca Allen, lose to Connecticut Sun

Published

2 days ago

July 2, 2024

Phoenix Mercury, minus Diana Taurasi and Becca Allen, lose to Connecticut Sun

Three games in four days took a toll on the Phoenix Mercury as injuries limited the depth in Monday’s 83-72 loss to the Connecticut Sun at Footprint Center.

Against a dynamic team like the Sun, with the second-best record in the WNBA, the Mercury were a step slow and were decimated by the Sun’s depth. Four of the five starters were in double figures with Brionna Jones leading with 18 points. The Sun also played eight players, but outscored the Mercury’s bench, 20-2.

The Mercury (9-10) had a short bench against the Connecticut Sun (15-4) with starters Diana Taurasi and Becca Allen out for Monday’s contest. Guard Sophie Cunningham and forward Natasha Mack started in their place.

Taurasi dealt with back soreness, while Allen had a lower back issue. The two played the day before in the loss against the Indiana Fever. Taurasi played 32 minutes and logged 19 points and three assists. Allen recorded nine points on 25 minutes.

“When we were kids, we would play three games in one day and we’d be exhausted. I feel the same way right now,” guard Natasha Cloud said. “Moving forward, we need a decision to extend a few weeks of the season, especially with the Olympic year. It just protects players, mentally, emotionally, physically, all those things. We had a game yesterday at noon and we had a little bit of rest and are back at it again today. The toll it takes on your body from playing 30-plus minutes is a lot. You’re not going to hear any complaints from us, we showed up today.”

Brittney Griner and Kahleah Copper led all scorers with 21 points each. Griner sparked a big run in the fourth quarter with a much-needed 3-pointer. Griner, however, couldn’t make an impact on the boards, grabbing just two rebounds.

Copper had trouble seeing shots fall and went 1-for-4 in the first quarter. She managed seven field goals on 16 attempts, including one 3-pointer.

Rebounding was the difference in the game as the Sun dominated the boards with 37 rebounds to the Mercury’s 18. The Mercury were outscored 11-2 in second-chance points.

The Mercury, who average 27.8 3-point attempts, couldn’t find an answer from beyond the arc and shot 3-for-17 (17.6%).

Phoenix cut a 10-point deficit to three during the fourth quarter when Cloud assisted on Mack’s layup to start a 7-0 run. Cloud helped make it a close game with the Sun, getting her fourth double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 assists.

But the Sun edged the Mercury with 10 points on 11 free throw attempts and pulled ahead.

“It was our third game in four nights and we were playing eight people. I was proud of the way we competed, I don’t think you saw the best version of ourselves tonight. Everything was a little bit of a step slow,” head coach Nate Tibbetts said.

Guard Charisma Osborne was out with a left lower leg injury, which made Sug Sutton, Liz Dixon, and Mikiah Herbert Harrigan the only available options off the bench.

The Mercury travel to play the Dallas Wings on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

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Connecticut

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

Published

6 mins ago

July 4, 2024

Press Room

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.

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.

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Best Bets for Connecticut Sun vs. Minnesota Lynx

Full-Game Side Bet

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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.

Prediction: Sun +2.5

Full-Game Total Pick

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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.

Take the under.

Prediction: Under

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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.

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Connecticut

It Appears to Be a Great Year for Eastern Chipmunk in Connecticut

Published

7 hours ago

July 3, 2024

Press Room

It Appears to Be a Great Year for Eastern Chipmunk in Connecticut

I know they may be a pest in gardens, but I love chipmunks. Some years I haven’t seen any chippys at all, but not this one. 2024 appears to be a great year to be a chipmunk living in Connecticut.

The Eastern Chipmunk is the only chipmunk found in Connecticut. They’re reddish brown, and have prominent black and white stripes down the length of their back. Oh those cheeks, I find that feature most adorable. Chipmunk can grow to 8-10 inches long, including their tail, and can weigh up to just over a quarter pound. According to ct.gov, chipmunk are omnivores, and their diet consists primarily of bugs, worms, bird eggs, frogs, snails, seeds, nuts, fruits, and mushrooms. July is mating season for chipmunks, which is good news/bad news for them. The good news is the mating, the bad news is that chipmunks are food for the hawks, owls, snakes, foxes, bobcats, coyotes, raccoons, and house cats of Connecticut. Do you remember the horror of finding a chipmunk wiggling away in your cat’s mouth? That’s an image that you can’t shake.

Connecticut saw an explosion of the chipmunk population in 2016 according to cbsnews.com. At the time a biologist at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection pointed towards a mild Winter, an abundance of Maple seeds and acorns, and comfortable temperatures. Winter 23/24 was relatively mild, the temperatures between April and now have been moderate, and I do remember seeing a whole lot of acorns this Spring. Has the perfect storm of chipmunk weather and food happened in 2024?

Grey striped Chipmunk on the stone

Filosoff

The birdfeeders around my condo seem to be the best place to see Chip n Dale scurrying about.

The Beautiful Bovines at Arethusa Farms in Litchfield

Three Places in Connecticut Where The Smell Almost Knocks You Out

As the Summer heats up, so do the unexpected smells as you drive along with your windows open. I know of three areas in Connecticut where if you’re not expecting it, the smell in the air will almost knock you out.

Gallery Credit: Google

Five Connecticut Grocery Stores Serving Superior Prepared Meals

Most supermarkets and grocery stores serve prepared foods, some have pizza ovens, sushi bars, even their own coffeehouse. When I don’t feel like cooking, these are the five grocery stores around here that I feel make superior to-go meals

Gallery Credit: Google

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Connecticut

Connecticut Attorney General Launches Investigation Into Capulet Fest

Published

14 hours ago

July 3, 2024

Press Room

Connecticut Attorney General Launches Investigation Into Capulet Fest

To say Capulet Fest this past weekend was an absolute disaster would be putting it lightly. It was already a shitshow before things even started but then things took a turn for the worse when the third day was completely canceled at the very last minute.

Yesterday, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced he was launching an investigation into the disastrous festival. After the fest was billed as a three-day outdoor festival at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park and was then moved, at the last minute, to the Webster Theater over an hour away with the last day being canceled, Tong has received 60 complaints about the festival. Honestly, 60 seems like a low number considering everything that happened. Perhaps if more metalheads knew that filing a complaint with the Attorney General’s office was an option, that number would be higher.

According to the local NBC affiliate in Connecticut, Tong held a press conference, stating:

“What happened to the people who paid for tickets is outrageous, it’s wrong and it’s unacceptable.”

Tong later continued, saying:

“There’s no statute that says a concert promoter is supposed to do x, y and z, they’re just not supposed to lie to people.”

The news reported the owner of Capulet Entertainment LLC as Estevan Vega, who also runs Joe’s Barber Lounge in Colchester, CT. Vega has since deleted his social media accounts due to the backlash from the event.

It seems that more and more music festivals are starting to fall apart and come under government scrutiny. Maybe it’s time to realize that not everyone is capable of putting on a music festival. It’s good that some of them are being held accountable, but it remains to be seen how much Attorney General Tong will be able to do about the situation.

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