2006 Connecticut Sun season

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2006 Connecticut Sun season
Coach Mike Thibault
Arena Mohegan Sun Arena
Attendance7,417 per game
Results
Record268 (.765)
Place1st (Eastern)
Playoff finishLost in Eastern Conference Finals
Team Leaders
Points Katie Douglas (16.4)
Rebounds Taj McW.-Franklin (9.6)
Assists Lindsay Whalen (4.6)

The 2006 WNBA season was their eighth season and their fourth in Connecticut. The Sun attempted to return to the postseason for the fourth consecutive season and were successful. Before the season started, many thought the Sun would make their third consecutive trip to the WNBA Finals, but lost to the eventual champion Detroit Shock in 3 games.

Contents

Offseason

WNBA draft

RoundPickPlayerNationalitySchool/team/country
228 Debbie Merrill Flag of the United States.svg  United States Ohio State
342 Marita Payne Flag of the United States.svg  United States Auburn

[1]

Transactions

[2]

Roster

Connecticut Sun roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#Nat.NameHeightWeightDOBFromYrs
G 10 Flag of the United States.svg Carey, Jamie 5' 6" (1.68m)135 lb (61kg) Texas
F 22 Flag of the United States.svg Brungo, Jessica 6' 1" (1.85m)165 lb (75kg) Penn State
G/F 32 Flag of the United States.svg Douglas, Katie  (C)6' 0" (1.83m)165 lb (75kg) Purdue
C 12 Flag of Poland.svg Dydek, Margo 7' 2" (2.18m)223 lb (101kg) Poland
G/F 21 Flag of the United States.svg Hairston, Kamesha 6' 0" (1.83m)146 lb (66kg) Temple
F 15 Flag of the United States.svg Jones, Asjha 6' 2" (1.88m)196 lb (89kg) Connecticut
G/F 24 Flag of the United States.svg Mahoney, Megan 6' 0" (1.83m)160 lb (73kg) Kansas State
F/C 11 Flag of the United States.svg McWilliams-Franklin, Taj 6' 2" (1.88m)184 lb (83kg) St. Edward's College
G 31 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Phillips, Erin 5' 7" (1.7m)162 lb (73kg) Australia
F 2 Flag of the United States.svg Queenan, Brooke 6' 2" (1.88m)185 lb (84kg) Boston University
G/F 42 Flag of the United States.svg Sales, Nykesha  (C)6' 0" (1.83m)175 lb (79kg) Connecticut
C 14 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Summerton, Laura 6' 2" (1.88m)167 lb (76kg) Australia
G 13 Flag of the United States.svg Whalen, Lindsay 5' 8" (1.73m)150 lb (68kg) Minnesota
F 43 Flag of the United States.svg Willingham, Le'Coe 6' 0" (1.83m)200 lb (91kg) Auburn
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Athletic trainer
Strength and conditioning coach

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (IN) Inactive
  • (S) Suspended
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured

Season standings

Eastern Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
z - Connecticut Sun 268.76514–312–515–5
x - Detroit Shock 2311.6763.014–39–814–6
x - Indiana Fever 2113.6185.012–59–812–8
x - Washington Mystics 1816.5298.013–45–1212–8
e - New York Liberty 1123.32415.07–104–137–13
e - Charlotte Sting 1123.32415.07–104–36–14
e - Chicago Sky 529.14721.03–142–154–16

Schedule

Preseason

2006 Game Log: Preseason
GameDateOpponentScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceRecord
1May 7 Detroit L 58-77 Carey (10) Jones (8) Phillips (6) Mohegan Sun Arena
7,272
0-1
2May 9@ Sacramento L 73-74 Sales (19) Jones (7)N/A University Arena
6,392
0-2
3May 13@ Phoenix W 96-85 Sales (30) McWilliams-Franklin (9) Douglas (4) US Airways Center
2,069
1-2

Regular season

2006 Game Log: Regular Season
May
GameDateOpponentScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceRecord
1May 20 New York W 91-74 Sales (19) Sales (10) Whalen, Sales (5) Mohegan Sun Arena
8,316
1-0
2May 23@ Minnesota W 81-69 Douglas (28) McWilliams-Franklin (11) Whalen (6) Target Center
9,471
2-0
3May 27 Detroit L 73-77 (OT) Douglas (18) McWilliams-Franklin, Douglas (7) Whalen (5) Mohegan Sun Arena
6,738
2-1
June
GameDateOpponentScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceRecord
4June 1@ Charlotte W 89-65 Sales (18) Dydek (15) Douglas (5) Charlotte Bobcats Arena
3,632
3-1
5June 3 Charlotte W 89-71 Dydek (17) McWilliams-Franklin (15) Sales (5) Mohegan Sun Arena
7,318
4-1
6June 7@ New York W 75-60 Douglas (17) McWilliams-Franklin (7) Sales, Phillips (4) Madison Square Garden
10,180
5-1
7June 9 Seattle W 85-81 Douglas (18) Dydek (12) Whalen (9) Mohegan Sun Arena
7,138
6-1
8June 13 Washington W 85-71 Douglas (26) Douglas (7) Whalen, Jones (4) Mohegan Sun Arena
6,339
7-1
9June 16@ Phoenix L 86-91 Douglas (27) McWilliams-Franklin (17) Whalen (4) US Airways Center
6,378
7-2
10June 17@ Los Angeles L 70-82 Jones (16) Sales, Dydek, Jones (5) Whalen (5) STAPLES Center
7,991
7-3
11June 20@ Charlotte W 90-66 Sales (15) McWilliams-Franklin (9) Whalen (6) Charlotte Bobcats Arena
4,243
8-3
12June 22 Minnesota W 79-62 Whalen, Dydek (16) Jones (11) Sales (4) Mohegan Sun Arena
6,573
9-3
13June 23@ Chicago W 84-79 Sales (23) McWilliams-Franklin (14) Whalen (6) UIC Pavilion
2,818
10-3
14June 25@ Washington L 80-87 McWilliams-Franklin, Sales, Jones (15) McWilliams-Franklin (11) Whalen (6) MCI Center
7,216
10-4
15June 27 Houston W 73-57 Sales (19) Dydek (13) Whalen (6) Mohegan Sun Arena
6,220
11-4
16June 30 Detroit L 64-70 Jones (16) McWilliams-Franklin (10) Whalen (5) Mohegan Sun Arena
7,003
11-5
July
GameDateOpponentScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceRecord
17July 1@ Indiana W 76-66 Douglas (22) Whalen (10) Whalen, Sales (3) Conseco Fieldhouse
7,033
12-5
18July 6 Charlotte W 76-71 Whalen (20) Dydek (9) Whalen (5) Mohegan Sun Arena
6,019
13-5
19July 8 Phoenix W 82-77 Douglas (22) McWilliams-Franklin (12) McWilliams-Franklin (5) Mohegan Sun Arena
9,341
14-5
20July 15@ Sacramento L 63-69 McWilliams-Franklin (13) McWilliams-Franklin (10) Phillips (4) ARCO Arena
7,997
14-6
21July 16@ Seattle W 92-83 Douglas (26) Dydek (14) McWilliams-Franklin (7) KeyArena
8,952
15-6
22July 20 Chicago W 86-72 Douglas (19) McWilliams-Franklin (8) Phillips (6) Mohegan Sun Arena
6,740
16-6
23July 22@ San Antonio W 79-61 Dydek (18) McWilliams-Franklin (10) McWilliams-Franklin, Whalen (7) AT&T Center
N/A
17-6
24July 24@ New York W 89-71 McWilliams-Franklin (22) Dydek (10) Douglas (6) Madison Square Garden
8,419
18-6
25July 25 Washington W 73-86 Douglas (28) McWilliams-Franklin (12) McWilliams-Franklin (6) Mohegan Sun Arena
6,535
19-6
26July 28 Sacramento W 75-68 Douglas (19) McWilliams-Franklin (14) Douglas (6) Mohegan Sun Arena
7,558
20-6
27July 30 San Antonio W 72-65 Jones (22) Jones, Dydek (8) Carey (4) Mohegan Sun Arena
7,454
21-6
August
GameDateOpponentScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceRecord
28August 1 New York W 66-52 Jones (22) McWilliams-Franklin, Dydek (10) Phillips (5) Mohegan Sun Arena
7,159
22-6
29August 3 Los Angeles W 72-63 McWilliams-Franklin (22) Jones (10) Phillips (5) Mohegan Sun Arena
8,675
23-6
30August 6@ Houston W 86-67 McWilliams-Franklin (21) McWilliams-Franklin (13) Whalen (9) Toyota Center
8,726
24-6
31August 8@ Chicago W 85-59 Douglas (19) McWilliams-Franklin (12) Whalen, Jones (5) UIC Pavilion
3,520
25-6
32August 9@ Indiana W 71-63 Jones (21) McWilliams-Franklin (14) Sales (4) Conseco Fieldhouse
7,368
26-6
33August 11 Indiana L 68-87 Whalen (16) McWilliams-Franklin (5) Phillips (4) Mohegan Sun Arena
9,341 (sellout)
26-7
34August 13@ Detroit L 65-88 McWilliams-Franklin (13) McWilliams-Franklin, Sales (5) Phillips, Dydek (3) Palace of Auburn Hills
11,558
26-8

Playoffs

In the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs, the Sun had to face the Washington Mystics. Since the Sun had the better record, the series would be played with game 1 at Washington, game 2 at Connecticut, and game 3 (if needed) at Connecticut. The Sun swept the Mystics and game 3 was not needed. In the second round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs, the Sun had to face rival Detroit Shock. Again, the Sun had the better record and the series would be played with game 1 at Detroit and games 2 and 3 (if needed) at Connecticut. Even though the Sun had a better record in the regular season, Detroit had managed to beat Connecticut in all four of the season meetings. Surprisingly, the Sun won game two of the series but went on to lose game three on their home court. Detroit advanced to the WNBA Finals. Had Connecticut advanced, it would have been the third consecutive season the Sun had made it to the WNBA Finals.

2006 Game Log: Postseason
Eastern Conference Semifinals
GameDateOpponentScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceSeries
1August 18@ Washington W 76-61 Whalen (22) McWilliams-Franklin (14) McWilliams-Franklin (6) Verizon Center
8,547
1-0
2August 20 Washington W 68-65 Douglas (16) McWilliams-Franklin (14) Sales (5) Mohegan Sun Arena
7,579
2-0
Eastern Conference Finals
GameDateOpponentScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceSeries
1August 24@ Detroit L 59-70 Whalen, Phillips (13) Dydek (8) McWilliams-Franklin, Whalen, Phillips (3) Palace of Auburn Hills
9,476
0-1
2August 26 Detroit W 77-73 McWilliams-Franklin (18) Jones (8) Sales (4) Mohegan Sun Arena
7,377
1-1
3August 27 Detroit L 55-79 McWilliams-Franklin (12) Dydek (9) Sales (3) Mohegan Sun Arena
6,820
1-2

Depth

Pos.StarterBenchInactive
C Margo Dydek Laura Summerton
PF Taj McWilliams-Franklin Asjha Jones -- Le'Coe Willingham
SF Nykesha Sales Megan Mahoney
SG Katie Douglas Erin Phillips
PG Lindsay Whalen Jamie Carey

Player stats

Awards and honors

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References