Chicago Sky defeated Connecticut Sun 94-88 at Wintrust Arena on Thursday, with Kamilla Cardoso proving the pivotal figure as her 26-point display drove a decisive fourth-quarter turnaround. Chicago overturned an early deficit with a 33-point final period to claim all three points in this Women’s National Basketball Association fixture.
For long stretches, this looked set to be Connecticut’s night. The Sun edged the opening quarter 26-24 and then tightened their grip before the interval, adding 23 points in the second period while Chicago managed only 16. That left the visitors 49-40 ahead at halftime, having moved the ball well and found enough balance between interior finishing and perimeter shooting to keep the Sky on the back foot.
Chicago’s response after the break was steady rather than spectacular at first. The Sky trimmed the margin in the third quarter, holding Connecticut to 17 points and beginning to establish better control in the half-court. Cardoso’s presence around the basket became increasingly influential, while Sydney Taylor helped settle possession and direct the tempo with six assists.
The match turned fully in the final quarter. Chicago erupted for 33 points in the fourth, their best period of the night, as the home side finally converted pressure into a sustained scoring run. Connecticut, who had been level from beyond the arc on 7-of-22 shooting, could not match that late efficiency. The Sky’s work at the free-throw line also proved decisive, finishing 23-of-26 for 88.5%, compared with the Sun’s 19-of-24.
Tactically, the difference came from Chicago’s ability to raise their shooting level in the decisive moments. The Sky finished at 47.8% from the floor, better than Connecticut’s 44.3%, and their ball movement remained productive with 21 assists to the Sun’s 20. Although Connecticut won the rebound battle 34-28, Chicago were sharper when the fixture reached its key possessions, particularly through Cardoso inside and through composed late execution at the stripe.
Key performers
Cardoso was the standout performer for Chicago, finishing with 26 points and six rebounds in an authoritative display in the middle. She gave the Sky a reliable attacking reference point and was central to the late push that changed the direction of the contest. Taylor’s six assists also mattered, especially as Chicago tried to quicken circulation and find cleaner looks in the second half.
For Connecticut, Aneesah Morrow led the way with 21 points and seven rebounds, while Olivia Nelson-Ododa pulled down 11 rebounds. Leila Lacan added six assists. The Sun had enough individual contributions to stay in front for much of the night, but they could not quite withstand Chicago’s final-quarter surge.
NerdSports Stat: Chicago trailed by nine at halftime but still finished with a +11 fourth quarter margin, meaning the Sky produced a 17-point swing from the break to the final buzzer.
This result moves Chicago to 10-18 on the season and gives them a valuable home win as they look to build momentum in the standings. Connecticut fall to 7-22 and will regret letting a strong first half slip away. The Sky now head into their next fixture encouraged by a sharper closing stretch, while the Sun need a more complete 40-minute performance to turn competitive spells into victories.
Frequently Asked Questions
No goal scorers were recorded in the provided match data. Kamilla Cardoso led Chicago Sky with 26 points, while Aneesah Morrow led Connecticut Sun with 21 points.
Chicago Sky 94 – 88 Connecticut Sun.
Chicago Sky improved to 10-18 and Connecticut Sun dropped to 7-22, a result that strengthens Chicago’s position relative to the Sun in the league standings.
Kamilla Cardoso was the standout performer with 26 points and six rebounds.
