A Husky Update (3rd edition)

Every week, we’ll take a look around the league at UConn alums and how they’re performing in the WNBA.

Atlanta Dream:
(1) Ann Strother, G/F (UConn, 2006): 0.0 points, 0.5 rebounds
Low-down: Strother saw her first action since the season opener in the Dream’s 85-81 loss to Minnesota on Tuesday. She played four minutes, missing her only shot attempt.

Connecticut Sun:
(1) Asjha Jones, F (2002): 12.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 52.6 shooting percentage
Low-down: Jones continues to lead the Sun in rebounding, despite grabbing a season-low of four Sunday at Chicago, and she continues to get her touches. She’s taken 10 or more shots four times this season, netting double figures in each of those games. Last Friday against New York, she also hit her first 3 of the season.

(2) Tamika Raymond, F (2002): 2.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 25.0 shooting percentage
Low-down: Raymond will see her former team for the first time during the regular season tonight when the Lynx visit Mohegan Sun Arena. If it provides extra motivation, we’ll see: Raymond is coming off her least productive game of the season in Chicago, where she scored zero points and grabbed one rebound in a season-low 12 minutes.

(3) Ketia Swanier, G (2008): 0.0 points, 4.7 minutes
Low-down: Swanier hasn’t played in either of the Sun’s last two games, though she appears to becoming increasing comfortable in practice with the Sun. Lindsay Whalen has rested at times during five-on-five drills because of a sore Achilles’ tendon, giving Swanier a chance to run the offense more often.

(4) Barbara Turner, G/F (2006): 10.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 13 3s
Low-down: Turner has nearly doubled the amount of 3s she hit a season ago (seven), and lived up to her growing reputation as instant offense when she scored 11 of her 13 points in the second half to help spark Connecticut to its win at the Sky last weekend. Make sure to wish her a happy 24th birthday on Sunday.

Los Angeles Sparks:
(1) Jessica Moore, F/C (2005): 1.2 points, 0.8 rebounds, 10.6 minutes
Low-down: Moore played a season-high 23 minutes last Saturday at Washington, though she had little to show for it: She scored zero points, grabbed one rebound and committed three fouls. She returned to her normal range of nine minutes Tuesday — also failing to score — at Chicago.

Minnesota Lynx:
(1) Charde Houston, F (2008): 11.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 17.2 minutes
Low-down: Houston’s scored just two points Tuesday in Atlanta, but her free throws helped ice the game in the final minutes. That followed one of the best performances by a rookie not named Candace Parker this season: Houston recorded her first career double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds in last Saturday’s win over Phoenix. She makes her return to Connecticut tonight where she’s asked for 70 tickets for friends and family.

New York Liberty:
(1) Ashley Battle, G/F (2005): 1.6 points, 7.8 minutes
Low-down: Battle continues to be used sparingly off the New York bench. She played just five minutes last Friday at Connecticut and seven in Tuesday’s win over Seattle, scoring two points in each game. She’s seeing the least amount of time of anyone on the team, and she’s hit only one field goal this season.

Phoenix Mercury:
(1) Willnett Crocket, F (2006): 2.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 9.8 minutes
Low-down: The last two games haven’t gone well for Crockett. She played just four minutes last Saturday, going scoreless for the first time in a Mercury jersey, and she didn’t play in Phoenix’s first win of the season, a 98-93 victory against Washington on Tuesday. Crockett is not listed on the team’s injury report.

(2) Diana Taurasi, G/F (2004): 22.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists
Low-down: Taurasi came up big in the Mercury’s first win, scoring 29 points on 10-of-19 shooting. She also continues to get to the rim. Taurasi has shot 24-for-31 from the line this season (both second on the team ) and she knocked down 7-of-9 in the victory over the Mystics.

Seattle Storm:
(1) Sue Bird, G (2002): 11.3 points, 6.4 assists, 2.4 rebounds
Low-down: Bird’s scoring has dipped into her normal range in recent games, as she netted 10 and seven her past two games, but continues to distribute the ball well (four and eight assists, respectively). She, Deanna Nolan (6.0) and league leader Lindsay Whalen (6.7) are the only players in the league averaging six or more assists.

(2) Swin Cash, F (2002): 14.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 46.9 shooting percentage
Low-down: Cash’s importance to the Storm showed in recent games, both losses. She scored just seven and 10 points, respectively, and shot a combined 4-for-16 from the field as Seattle failed to break 70 points both times.