The San Antonio Stars are in the final stretch of a dreadful season, but they bring a modicum of momentum -- thanks to a rare victory - into Tuesday's road game against the Connecticut Sun.
The Stars (6-19) have the fewest wins in the WNBA, but surprised Washington on Sunday with an 85-74 victory in the nation's capital. The 11-point victory provided San Antonio with its largest margin of victory this season and snapped a six-game losing streak. The Stars forged a 23-point halftime lead against the Mystics, saw the advantage drop to as low as seven points in the third quarter but pulled it together in the fourth to claim the win.
Tuesday's contest in Uncasville, Conn., will be another chance for San Antonio, which is still mathematically eligible to climb four spots into the postseason, to play spoiler against a team that also has a chance to qualify for the postseason in the WNBA's new playoff scenario. The top eight teams, regardless of conference in the 12-team league, will qualify for the postseason.
San Antonio has not won back-to-back games this season.
Washington and Seattle are currently tied for the final spot, with Connecticut, Dallas and San Antonio on the outside looking in with the season in its final three weeks.
Connecticut has beaten the Stars twice this season, but the victories were not decisive. The Sun won by four points in San Antonio on May 19 and by three on June 19 in Uncasville.
The Sun (9-17), who lost to Atlanta 87-73 on Sunday to snap a three-game winning streak, consider this game against San Antonio a must-win. With the hill Connecticut has to climb and a final eight-game run that features six games against teams currently above them on in the standings, losing to the worst team in the league at home would be disappointing.
