The Sky played a dangerous game against the worst team in the WNBA on Tuesday night at the UIC Pavilion, yet managed to win.
A furious late fourth-quarter spree — including seven straight points from guard Jia Perkins — propelled the Sky to a 74-72 victory over the Sacramento Monarchs. The Sky improved to 6-3 on the season and remains unbeaten (5-0) at home.
The Sky is three games over .500 for the first time in its four-year history.
Sacramento (1-8) led for much of the game behind the sharpshooting of forward Nicole Powell, who wound up with 21 points. There were 12 lead changes.
“If we had won any other way, we probably would feel uncomfortable,” Sky coach Steven Key said. “We’ve already established it, and this solidifies it tonight that we are not going to fold down at crunch time. … And we are very fortunate to have some players to make some really big plays for us.”
The Monarchs led 37-32 at the half, and the score was tied at 55 at the end of three quarters as the Monarchs refused to go quietly.
Perkins led the Sky with 17 points, followed by Candice Dupree with 16 and Sylvia Fowles with 14. Fowles also pulled down 14 rebounds.
Key credited Dupree with providing leadership in the fourth quarter.
“I try to,” Dupree said. “It’s my fourth year in the league. I can’t just lead by example, so I am trying to be a little more vocal, you know, talking during timeouts, gathering each other on the court and talking. It’s not an easy task, but somebody has to do it. So I take pride in it.”
The Sky ran off six straight points to take a 68-67 lead with 1:28 remaining. Dupree sank a pair of free throws and a 12-foot jumper before Perkins cashed in with a layup for the lead.
Perkins sank one of two free-throw attempts with 3.8 seconds left to put the Sky ahead 74-70 before Powell hit a closing basket for Sacramento.
“At the end of the day we have to win games,” said the Monarchs’ Kara Lawson (11 points). “We’re last place in the league. I’m not one for moral victories.”
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fmitchell@tribune.com
