UNCASVILLE — When Saniya Rivers and Aaliyah Edwards heard the Cupid Shuffle begin to blare through the speakers during Wednesday night’s game between the Connecticut Sun and Chicago Sky, it didn’t matter that the rest of the arena was in the middle of a heated moment.
Both immediately fell into the muscle memory of the popular line dance, giggling as they stepped side to side and spun in a circle in tandem in the Sun’s huddle. Behind them, the officials continued a nearly 10-minute review of a dust-up between teammate Bria Hartley and Sky forward Rebecca Allen that eventually resulted in both players plus Chicago’s Ariel Atkins being ejected from the game.
From the outside, it might’ve looked like the team was losing focus, messing around on the sideline instead of staying locked in during the extended break. But keeping joy in the game has become a key to success for the Sun’s young core amid a difficult rebuilding season, and the team went on to secure just its sixth victory of the season, 71-62 over the Sky.
“I think it’s just the little things,” Rivers said. “I think we fight, and once we hype each other up, turn on some tunes, get smiling at each other, I think we just have a really good time. I’ve learned that we play our best when we’re having fun and smiling and supporting each other, and if we can continue to do that down the stretch, we’ll be fine.”
Even before Connecticut took the court to face the Sky, coach Rachid Meziane could feel the lighthearted energy around the team when they arrived at Mohegan Sun Arena. The Sun entered the matchup on a five-game losing streak following a winless four-game road trip on the West Coast, and Wednesday’s matchup was their third in four days.
But the team that showed up against Chicago didn’t look exhausted or jet-lagged. Instead it led for the entire game after the final minute of the first quarter, jumping out to a 12-point lead in the first half with a high-intensity effort led by its young stars. French rookie Leila Lacan and 2025 first-round pick Aneesah Morrow combined for 13 of the Sun’s 21 points in the opening quarter, and Rivers tied her season-high in assists with six before halftime. The trio also combined for three of Connecticut’s six steals, contributing to nine first-half turnovers by the Sky.
Connecticut Sun
Connecticut Sun huddle before the game against the Chicago Sky on August 13, 2025 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Photo by Chris Marion/NBAE via Getty Images)
“It’s easy when you win to play with some fun and some joy, but I saw it before the game during the (starting lineup) presentation that they were connected and dancing, so I felt that joy,” Meziane said. “The joy and pleasure, it’s part of our job, (when) we take pleasure in playing together, in fighting hard, in sharing the ball … They are young, so sometimes they forget very fast, but I hope winning can just build on that.”
Part of the locker room spark came from the new addition of Edwards, who was traded to Connecticut by the Washington Mystics hours before the WNBA’s trade deadline last Thursday. Edwards was put in a difficult position, joining the Sun in the middle of the long road trip and transitioning from a squad that was still in the mix for postseason contention to the team with the worst record in the league.
But the former UConn star instantly meshed with Connecticut’s rookies, and Rivers said it already feels like Edwards has been a part of the group since the start of the season. Meziane said the sophomore forward comes into the gym every day with a smile and consistent work ethic, describing her “like sunshine” for the team.
“Oh man, I love Aaliyah. We’re an energetic group, so she fit in perfectly,” Rivers said. “We blast music before every game and just get lit together, and she just jumped right in … She’s obviously a big presence on both offense and defense, so I think she’s very special, and she shares the ball, so I think she’s a great addition to this team.”
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Lacan provided a similar boost when joined the Sun late in the season, arriving just before the All-Star break after competing with the French national team in EuroBasket. Lacan speaks little English and had never been to the United States outside of New York City before signing with Connecticut, but she earned the trust of her teammates almost immediately with her energy on the court.
The 21-year-old has developed tremendously just 15 games into her WNBA career, and she anchored the team on both ends of the floor in the win over Chicago. She logged a team-high 17 points plus five assists and four rebounds, three of which were offensive boards that resulted in points for the Sun. She also grabbed two steals and made a critical defensive play on Sky guard Hailey Van Lith to force an eight-second violation in the final minute of the third quarter.
Though Lacan is a more reserved presence off the court, Rivers said the team is quickly pulling her out of her shell.
“She doesn’t give herself enough credit, but I’ll give her her flowers. She’s an amazing player and a cool person, great energy, and she just works hard and makes sure that she brings us together,” Rivers said. “Her English is coming a long way, so I’m really proud of her. She’s getting out of her comfort zone. We’ve got her in the locker room dancing now.”
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Sun veteran Tina Charles is more than a decade older than Connecticut’s rookie stars, but their youthful joy is permeating the entire team. Charles, who played just seven and a half minutes in the first half against Chicago, was one of the biggest cheerleaders while on the bench, and Rivers said the 36-year-old has taken to showing off dance moves in the pregame huddle that even she isn’t able to master.
“Tina almost knocked me over (today) because she was so excited,” Rivers said with a grin. “This game when she saw us out there going, she was like ‘Hey go ahead young legs, y’all go and be out there. I’m gonna chill over on the bench.’ So she was over there hyping us up … Before the game today she did this little heel-toe and it was real smooth. I can’t even do it, and I think I’m the best dancer on the team, so I’m gonna have to learn that from her.”
Originally Published: August 14, 2025 at 7:37 AM EDT