Atlanta Dream Squeak Past Connecticut

The Atlanta Dream stays on top of the Eastern Conference when they edged the Connecticut Sun, 108-103, in  game that went to overtime Thursday in Atlanta.

Angel McCoughtry and Iziane Castro Marques proved to be too much for Connecticut with both of them scoring 32 points for the Dream, which has now won five of their last six games and 14th Overall.

"It was tough without Sancho tonight. We knew that once our post players got into foul trouble that we had to box and rebound so we could get our running game going." McCoughtry said.

McCoughtry, who will be playing in the 2010 WNBA All Star Game, also had ten rebounds while Marques added seven assists for Atlanta, which recorder their highest single-game output in Franchise History.

"It was a very hard game. We tried to push the tempo early. We knew that Connecticut was tired, and they hung in there. We kept fighting, and I think it was a great team win." Marques said.

Erika DeSouza also had an outstanding tallying 17 points and 13 rebounds while Alison Bales, who started the game in place of Lyttle, contributed nine points and ten rebounds for the Dream.

WNBA All Star Sancho Lyttle, who is averaging 10.6 rebounds this season, did not suit up for the Dream after sustaining a concussion during their game against the Chicago Sky last Saturday.

"When you don't have one of your top rebounders and scorers, it hurts. We definitely missed her." Atlanta coach Marynell Meadors said.

2010 WNBA first-overall pick Tina Charles had an outstanding game for Connecticut finishing the game with 27 points and 20 rebounds. The Connecticut suffered their third-straight defeat.

"It was just about playing team defense, which was one of the main things," Charles said. "We were trying to get back on transition, which we did well, but late in the game, Atlanta hitting the boards cost us."