CHICAGO (AP) — Rhyne Howard scored 32 points and the Atlanta Dream pulled away in the closing minutes to beat the Chicago Sky for the second time in three days, getting an 88-77 victory on Sunday night.
Up one midway through the fourth quarter the Dream surged ahead by cashing in on three turnovers en route to their fifth straight win.
Cheyenne Parker had 18 points and 11 rebounds for Atlanta, which last won five straight games five years ago. Danielle Robinson and Allisha Gray both added 11. Howard had six rebounds, four assists, four steals and a block.
Kahleah Copper led Chicago (8-11) with 28 points. Courtney Williams added 14 and Elizabeth Williams 13 points with nine rebounds, five assists and two steals.
Howard hit a 3-pointer early in the third quarter for a 47-35 Atlanta lead but the Sky stormed back behind Copper, who had 16 points in the quarter. The Sky nabbed the lead a couple of times but Howard knocked down a 3 in the closing seconds for a 68-67 advantage.
One of Chicago’s leads, 61-60, came when Marina Mabrey made two free throws at the 1:56 mark after Nia Coffey was was called for a flagrant-1 foul when Alanna Smith was hit in the head. Smith went into the lockerroom and did not return.
The last lead for the Sky was 67-65 after Dana Evans made two free throws with nine seconds left but Howard erased that Atlanta won the fourth quarter again. The Dream also led by one entering the fourth quarter on Friday before winning 82-68.
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