In the basketball capital of the world, the love and adoration for women\u2019s hoops stretches across Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville and here, in Hartford, where even former Boston Celtics NBA champion Ray Allen<\/a> and former New England Patriots\u00a0Super Bowl champs Devin and Jason McCourty were in attendance.\u00a0<\/p>\n And yet, it was the former Huskies who put on a show.<\/p>\n After controlling much of the game, the Sun were up by 6 points with 5:05 minutes left in the fourth when Azzi Fudd hit her first shot of the night in crunch time to cut the deficit to 4 points.<\/p>\n Bueckers later made a timely layup with 2:15 left to put the Wings within 2 points. Just 10 seconds later, Aaliyah Edwards<\/a> muscled her way to the basket and made her own driving layup over Jessica Shepard<\/a> to give the Sun back a 3-point lead. As the crowd roared, Edwards even hit the \u201ctoo small\u201d celebration.<\/p>\n Wings center Li Yueru<\/a> then knocked down a clutch 3-pointer to tie the game. Bueckers then gave the Wings their first lead in the fourth by knocking down a step-back jump shot, just 34 seconds later.<\/p>\n After drawing the foul, Bueckers raised her fists in the air in celebration and flexed her arms \u2014 and as she screamed in triumph, the entire arena went absolutely wild.<\/p>\n Edwards then answered back when she caught a pass from Sun floor general Le\u00efla Lacan<\/a> while cutting to the basket to give Connecticut a 1-point lead again. <\/p>\n For Edwards, this marked the first time she faced Fudd professionally and the fourth matchup against Bueckers.<\/p>\n It was at that point that the game became a shootout between the former UConn teammates: with less than a minute left in the game, Fudd knocked down a pull-up jump shot to put the Wings up by 2, only for Edwards to tie the game again after putting Li in a spin cycle and finishing at the rim.<\/p>\n Listen now to The IX Sports Podcast and Women\u2019s Sports Daily<\/strong> By that point, the Wings had taken control of the game as both Bueckers and Shepard drew two key fouls and knocked down two apiece to win the game.<\/p>\n While the Wings ended up victorious, winning 86-83, the performances from both teams were, undoubtedly, an exhilarating matchup.\u00a0Bueckers led the Wings in scoring with 25 points and was 5-6 from the free-throw line, while Shepard and Alanna Smith<\/a> both finished in double digits with 14 and 11 points, respectively.<\/p>\n For Connecticut, Lacan totaled 18 points and five assists while four Sun players finished with double-digit points, including rookie Charlisse Leger-Walker<\/a> (14), veteran center Brittney Griner<\/a> (13) and solid 11-point performances from both Edwards and Nelson-Ododa.<\/p>\n
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We are excited to announce the launch of TWO new podcasts for all the women\u2019s sports fans out there looking for a daily dose of women\u2019s sports news and analysis. Stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or anywhere you listen to podcasts, and make sure to subscribe!<\/p>\n
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Connecticut Sun center Olivia Nelson-Ododa reacts after her basket and one against the Dallas Wings in the first half at PeoplesBank Arena. (Photo credit: David Butler II | Imagn Images) <\/p>\n