Published January 13, 2015
Rookie Elena Delle Donne scored 25 points and Chicago strengthened its hold on the Eastern Conference lead by beating the cold-shooting Atlanta Dream 67-56 on Saturday night.
Sylvia Fowles had 10 points and 13 rebounds and Swin Cash had 12 points for the Sky (20-8). Chicago, which has won five straight, stretched its lead in the East to 4½ games over second-place Atlanta.
Angel McCoughtry had 20 points for the Dream (14-11), who fell to 11-2 at home. McCoughtry opened the game by sinking a jumper, but that 2-0 advantage was Atlanta's only lead.
The Dream matched their fewest points in franchise history and set the mark for their lowest field-goal percentage (28.6 percent).
Atlanta had its worst offensive showing since the third game in franchise history. The Dream also scored 56 points while shooting 29.2 percent from the field against Los Angeles on May 25, 2008.
Erika de Souza had 12 points and 16 rebounds for Atlanta.
Chicago attacked inside early, taking advantage of its size advantage with the Delle Donne (6-foot-5) and Fowles (6-6). The Sky's first five field goals were all inside baskets from Delle Donne, Fowles and Cash.
The matchups worked against Atlanta, which lost 6-foot-4 forward Sancho Lyttle to a fractured left foot on July 9. Lyttle was still wearing a walking boot as she sat on the Atlanta bench Saturday night. She is aiming to return before the end of the regular season.
Atlanta center de Souza could match up with Fowles, but Dream coach Fred Williams couldn't find an answer for Delle Donne, the standout rookie from Delaware who is averaging 18.1 points per game, third in the league.
Le'coe Willingham, Courtney Clements and McCoughtry were assigned to Delle Donne. McCoughtry drew a quick foul when she took her turn with the tough defensive assignment.
Following a 4-4 tie, Chicago took the lead with an 11-0 run that was capped by Delle Donne's 3-pointer. The Sky stretched the lead to 16 points at 28-12 by scoring the first 10 points of the second quarter.
Atlanta twice cut the lead to two points late in the third period, the last time at 43-41 on a basket by Aneika Henry. Chicago answered with an 8-0 run that carried into the final period, pushing the lead back to 10.
Atlanta's Armintie Herrington left with a head injury less than 1 minute into the second half and did not return. With Herrington and Delle Donne both off their feet during a chase for a loose ball, Delle Donne rolled over Herrington's head. No foul was called and Herrington was left on one end of the court, holding her head, as play shifted to the other end.
Herrington rose to her feet and, still holding her head, was escorted to the locker room. There was no immediate report on the severity of the injury.
Dream guard Tiffany Hayes, who scored a combined 56 points in her last three games, was held out with a sore left knee.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/delle-donnes-25-points-lead-first-place-sky-past-dream-67-56