2008 Connecticut Sun season

2008 Connecticut Sun season
Coach Mike Thibault
Arena Mohegan Sun Arena
Attendance 7,644 per game
Results
Record 21–13 (.618)
Place 2nd (Eastern)
Playoff finish Lost in First Round
Team Leaders
Points Asjha Jones (17.0)
Rebounds Asjha Jones (6.1)
Assists Lindsay Whalen (5.4)
Media
Television WCTX

The 2008 WNBA season was their tenth season and their sixth in Connecticut. The Sun successfully advanced to the WNBA Playoffs for the sixth consecutive season. Lindsay Whalen was a key contributor to the club, averaging 14.0 points per game, 5.6 rebounds per game, and 5.4 assists per game.[1]

Offseason

Expansion Draft

The following player was lost in the Atlanta Dream expansion draft:

  • Erika DeSouza

[2]

WNBA Draft

[3]

Transactions

  • August 27: The Sun signed Svetlana Abrosimova and waived Jolene Anderson.
  • June 27: The Sun waived Kamesha Hairston.
  • May 15: The Sun waived Cori Chambers.
  • May 7: The Sun waived Jessica Foley, Tracy Gahan and Christina Quaye.
  • May 6: The Sun waived Meredith Alexis and Natalie Berglin.
  • April 28: The Sun waived Crystal Erwin, Laura Hall and Jessica Richter.
  • April 23: The Sun waived Antoinette Upshaw.
  • March 20: The Sun signed Tracy Gahan to a training camp contract.
  • March 7: The Sun signed Sandrine Gruda.
  • March 5: The Sun signed Jessica Foley to a training camp contract.
  • March 3: The Sun signed Natalie Berglin and Kerri Gardin to training camp contracts.
  • February 19: The Sun re-signed free agents Lindsay Whalen and Jamie Carey.

[4]

Free agents

Roster

Connecticut Sun roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#Nat.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
SF 25 Russia Abrosimova, Svetlana 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 172 lb (78 kg) Connecticut
PG 10 United States Carey, Jamie 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) 135 lb (61 kg) Texas
PF United States Ervin, Lauren  (DP) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Arkansas
SF 41 United States Gardin, Kerri 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 165 lb (75 kg) Virginia Tech
C 7 France Gruda, Sandrine 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) France
G/F 1 United States Holt, Amber 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 167 lb (76 kg) Middle Tennessee State
PF 15 United States Jones, Asjha (C) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 198 lb (90 kg) Connecticut
PF 52 United States Page, Danielle 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 179 lb (81 kg) Nebraska
PG 31 Australia Phillips, Erin 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) 162 lb (73 kg) Australia
PF 34 United States Raymond, Tamika 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 199 lb (90 kg) Connecticut
G/F 42 United States Sales, Nykesha  6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Connecticut
PG 11 United States Swanier, Ketia 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) 144 lb (65 kg) Connecticut
G/F 22 United States Turner, Barbara 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 182 lb (83 kg) Connecticut
PG 13 United States Whalen, Lindsay (C) 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 150 lb (68 kg) Minnesota
PF 00 United States Whitmore, Tamika 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Memphis
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Athletic trainer
Strength and conditioning coach
  • United States Jodi Hopkins (Ohio)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (IN) Inactive
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Season standings

Eastern Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
Detroit Shock x2212.647–14–38–916–4
Connecticut Sun x2113.6181.013–48–913–7
New York Liberty x1915.5593.011–68–911–9
Indiana Fever x1717.5005.011–66–1112–8
Chicago Sky o1222.35310.08–94–1310–10
Washington Mystics o1024.29412.06–114–136–14
Atlanta Dream o430.11818.01–163–142–18

Schedule

Preseason

2008 Game Log: Preseason

Regular season

2008 Game Log: Regular Season

Playoffs

In the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs, the Sun had to face the New York Liberty. Since the Sun had the better record, the series would be played with game 1 at New York, game 2 at Connecticut, and game 3 (if needed) at Connecticut. The Liberty won the first game, but the Sun won the second to force a game three. The Sun were upset on their home floor by the Liberty and were eliminated from the playoffs.

  • For the sixth consecutive season, the Sun advance to the playoffs.
  • For the second consecutive season, the Sun do not advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
2008 Game Log: Postseason

Depth

Pos. Starter Bench Inactive
C Tamika WhitmoreSandrine GrudaDanielle Page
PF Asjha JonesTamika Raymond
SF Kerri GardinBarbara Turner -- Amber Holt
SG Svetlana AbrosimovaErin PhillipsKetia Swanier
PG Lindsay WhalenJamie Carey

Regular Season statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage  TO  Turnovers per game
 PF  Fouls per game Team leader League leader

Player statistics

Team statistics

Team Ranking

This table shows how the Sun rank compared to the other teams in the league (14 total teams):

Playoffs statistics

Player statistics

Team statistics

Awards and honors

  • Head Coach Mike Thibault was named 2008 WNBA Coach of the Year.
  • Lindsay Whalen was named to the All-WNBA First Team.
  • Asjha Jones was named to the All-WNBA Second Team.
  • Amber Holt was named to the All-Rookie Team.
  • Lindsay Whalen was given the Peak Performer award (for assists) for leading the league in assists per game (5.4).
  • Lindsay Whalen was the second player in WNBA history to average at least 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game for the season. Only Nikki Teasley has previously accomplished this feat.
  • Lindsay Whalen was named WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the week of May 27, 2008.
  • Asjha Jones was named WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the week of June 30, 2008.
  • Lindsay Whalen was named WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the week of July 14, 2008.
  • Asjha Jones was named WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the week of July 28, 2008.

[5]

Attendance

Regular Season Attendance

References

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