Aggressive Play Finds Napheesa Collier in Trouble as Paige Bueckers Extends Support for Ex-Teammates in?WNBA?Playoffs

On Wednesday, the Connecticut Sun lit up the night with an incredible display of basketball prowess, defeating the Minnesota Lynx in a lopsided 90-60 victory to kick off the 2023 WNBA playoffs. While not known for their three-point shooting, the Suns set a new playoff record Wednesday. Many UConn Huskies even dropped in to watch the game with Paige Bueckers extending her support for her ex-teammates in the playoff game.

Meanwhile, Napheesa Collier found herself in trouble with some aggressive play.

Napheesa Collier gets a technical foul

The Connecticut Sun’s outstanding three-point shooting was among the game’s defining moments on Wednesday. The team had a reputation for not making many three-pointers during the regular season, finishing ninth in the league with an average of 20 attempts per game. However, when they did attempt 3-point shots, they did so effectively, finishing fourth in the league with a 36.0% success percentage.

The Sun exceeded expectations in Game 1 against the Lynx, getting a new franchise playoff record with their astounding 16 three-pointers, which they dropped in just 30 shots from beyond the arc. Tiffany Hayes’ triple-banked shot on the game’s first possession set the tone for the rest of the evening which saw the Suns emerge victorious.

However, the game took a dramatic turn during the waning seconds of the game, with Napheesa Collier getting a technical foul.

In the fourth quarter of the game, Napheesa Collier received a technical foul for pushing Dijonai Carrington. Kayla McBride attempted to make a pass to Collier around the basket, but many Suns players, including Alyssa Thoms, DeWanna Bonner and Dijonai Carrington were right around the basket.

Bonner caught the ball in mid-air, while Collier who was near Carrington shoved her aggressively. The referees were quick to step in.

After carefully reviewing the game’s replay, the referees concluded that the play was a technical foul. The Connecticut Suns were awarded a free throw with eight seconds to move the ball off the floor. Tyasha Harris took control of the ball and succeeded in making the shot.

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Meanwhile, the UConn Huskies attended the game and Paige Bueckers extended support for her former teammates.

The UConn Huskies drop in to watch the Playoff opener

Among the many gathered to watch the playoff game between the Suns and the Lynx, the UConn Huskies were a prominent crowd in the audience. Geno Auriemma, a famed Hall of Fame head coach renowned for his outstanding career with the UConn Huskies sat with the crowd. His team also dropped in to catch the game.

Paige Beckers who missed the 2022-23 season due to an ACL tear was also present for the game. Notably, she came to cheer on her former teammates Dorka Juh?sz and Olivia Nelson-Ododa. Juh?sz and Nelson-Ododa played for the Huskies? class of 2022. She wrote on her Instagram story, “Time flies,” tagging both the former Huskies along with a clip of the game.

Azzi Fudd and Aaliyah Edwards were also present at the game.

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The Connecticut Suns had a convincing victory over the Minnesota Lynx on opening night. However, all eyes will be on the Sun as the WNBA playoffs in 2023 progress to see if they can keep up their pace and advance far in the tournament. Who are you rooting for? Let us know in the comments below!