Storm (5-14) at Connecticut Sun (8-8)

Mohegan Sun Arena | Uncasville, Conn.

July 31, 2015 | 4 p.m. PT

Broadcast: Live Access, WCTX

 

2015 vs. Washington: 0-1

Last meeting: L 79-58 (June 16, 2015)

Leading scorer: Crystal Langhorne 13

 

After a rough start against Washington, the Storm will aim to get out to a better beginning when it takes on Connecticut on Friday night.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Crystal Langhorne

Crystal Langhorne has been a safety valve for the Storm all season and she has retaken the team lead in points per game at 10.2. She is second in the league in field goal percentage (55.3), trailing only Brittney Griner. She is also one of only seven players in the league to be shooting better than 50 percent.

BISHOP STRONG OFF BENCH

Abby Bishop volunteered to come off the bench four games ago and it has benefitted the Aussie forward. Since the move, she is averaging 10 points while shooting 55 percent from the field and scored 17 against Washington on Wednesday. In her previous 15 games (14 starts), Bishop averaged 5.1 points per game and shot 38.4 percent.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

The Storm has had one of the more grueling schedules this season, including a stretch prior to the break where the team played in nine cities in 17 days, and opens the second half of the season with a six-game road trip, its longest of the season. The roadie will include trips to Washington, Connecticut, New York, San Antonio, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.

SUE APPROACHING 5K

With her three pointer late in the fourth quarter on June 25, Sue Bird eclipsed Sheryl Swoopes for 13th on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list. She is now a mere 21 points away from 5,000 career points at 4,979. The next two on the list are Taj McWilliams-Franklin, who finished with 5,013 points, and Tangela Smith with 5,048.

TOK TAKING CONTROL

Ramu Tokashiki ranks among the best rookies in several categories and, in doing so, has become one of the better players for the Storm. She has started the last four games and has scored in double figures in each of them, averaging 12 per game. Among her fellow rookies, Tokashiki is fourth in points (8.2), third in blocks (1.00), second in free throw percentage (88.2), and sixth in field goal percentage (45.7).

JEWELL SHINING AMONG ROOKIES

Rookie Jewell Loyd has also become more comfortable in the WNBA and it is showing. She is second among all WNBA rookies in scoring with 9.1 points per game and is 33-for-35 from the stripe over the last 13 games. At 87.7 percent from the line, Loyd is third among all rookies and sixth in the league with at least three attempts per game.

BIRD IN THE HAND, WORTH TWO IN THE BASKET

Sue Bird has dished out 22 assists in the last three games and recorded 12 in the win over Atlanta on July 18, two off tying her career high. Bird’s 5.4 assists per game is a league best and she is one of only three players to be averaging at least 10 points and five assists (Courtney Vandersloot, Danielle Robinson).

‘THE BENCH MOB’

The Storm wrapped up one of its toughest stretches of the season last week with six of eight games on the road, which included seven cities in 19 days. As it has done all season, the bench played a major role. The second unit is averaging 28.6 points per contest, best in the league, and is also accounting for 40.9 percent of the team’s total points, which is tops in the WNBA. On June 28, it poured out a league-high 54 points, which included a career-high 21 points from both Ramu Tokashiki and Jewell Loyd.

SCOUTING CONNECTICUT

It has been a tough stretch for the Sun as it has lost seven of its last eight games and seven of the eight games were decided by less than 10 points. That being said, expect a close game. Connecticut continues to be paced by Alex Bentley with 15.9 points per contest and Kelsey Bone is shooting 53.8 percent from the field. But the Sun is the second worst rebounding team in the league at 31.4.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Crash the boards. Seattle is no world beater in the rebounding department either but Connecticut is one of the few teams that the Storm could take advantage of. Turning those rebounds into points will also be key. The Storm has been very good in transition and can score a few easy baskets if they can get out on the run.