Since Leila Lacan arrived in Connecticut, the Sun have looked like a much different team than the one that opened the season.
Connecticut picked up a win over Los Angeles in Lacan's debut, where she finished with 12 points and 3 assists. Since then, the Sun have battled Atlanta on the road for three quarters and have lost each of their last three games by single digits.
A loss is still a loss, but the margins have been far more competitive with Lacan in the lineup. Connecticut is being outscored by an average of (-8.5) points in games she has played compared to (-16.3) points in games she has missed. It's also worth noting that the Sun have yet to be at full strength during any of those contests. In fact, Connecticut has not had Brittney Griner, Aaliyah Edwards, and Aneesah Morrow share the floor alongside Lacan at the same time. That is expected to change tomorrow when the Sun host Indiana.
The Rodez native is averaging (11.4) points, (4.8) assists, and (1.2) steals through her first five games, and she enters this matchup coming off a career-best 24-point, 7-assist performance against Toronto.
Tomorrow's game could present an opportunity for a confidence-building win for a Connecticut team that has been hit hard by injuries all season. In addition to Lacan missing the first nine games, leading scorer Brittney Griner has missed eight, Aaliyah Edwards has missed six, and Aneesah Morrow has missed two.
The matchup also marks the beginning of a six-game homestand for the Sun. Following Indiana, Connecticut will face Washington, Toronto, Chicago, Washington again, and Dallas.
If the Sun can finally get healthy and stay that way, this upcoming stretch could give them a chance to gain some momentum. With several winnable games on the schedule, Connecticut has a realistic opportunity to come away with four wins over its next six contests. ✨