Howdy pardners! Welcome to the Sky’s Wild West Night as the Connecticut Sun ride into town to take on your Chicago Sky. Tonight’s game is the Sky’s first Eastern Conference game of the young season and is the first of four matchups between these teams this summer. Connecticut won the season series last year 3-1, but the new-look Sky, led by 6’6” rookie center Sylvia Fowles, are ready to take the next step and defeat the East’s elite teams.

In three of her four games against the Sun last season, Candice Dupree scored 18 points or more, including a career-high 29 points on May 31, 2007. Last year’s WNBA Rookie of the Year Armintie Price is off to a hot start, shooting above 60% from the floor -- in 2007, she shot 40%. Brooke Wyckoff, who is playing her third season with the Sky, hit one of the biggest shots of her life back in 2005 when she played for the Sun. She drilled a three pointer from the corner with two seconds remaining in game two of the WNBA Finals to force overtime, a game the Sun went on to win. Wyckoff is always a major threat when she catches the ball behind the three-point arc.

The Sun is led by 5’8” guard Lindsay Whalen, who is averaging over 14 points and 6 assists per game this season. She is their floor general and she looks to control the tempo of the game. The Sun count on Whalen – she has only missed one start in her 4-year career. The Sun acquired center Tamika Whitmore in the off-season, and she has made an immediate impact on the team. In her first four games, Whitmore averaged 13.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Asjha Jones will look to improve her numbers from last season, her best year as a pro, averaging 15.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game

Marquee Matchups

Fowles vs. Whitmore
Fowles will be tested tonight against one of the more physical post players in the league in Whitmore. The nine year veteran will attempt to use all the tricks she has learned over the years to try and outsmart “Big Syl.”

Perkins vs. Jones
The 6’2” Jones will have a major height advantage over the 5’8” Perkins. Perkins will use her quickness and smarts to create room for her jump shot. Jones will try and overpower Perkins with her size and strength.