2009 Connecticut Sun season

The 2009 WNBA season was the 11th season for the Connecticut Sun franchise of the Women's National Basketball Association. It is their seventh in Connecticut. The Sun attempted to advance to the WNBA Playoffs for the seventh consecutive season, but did not qualify for the postseason.

Offseason

Dispersal Draft

Based on the Sun's 2008 record, they would pick 10th in the Houston Comets dispersal draft. The Sun waived their pick.

WNBA draft

The following are the Sun's selections in the 2009 WNBA draft.

Round	Pick	Player	Nationality	School/team/country
1	10	Chante Black		Duke
2	17 (from Minn.)	Lyndra Littles		Virginia
3	36	Alba Torrens		Spain

Transactions

• July 4: The Sun waived Lauren Ervin due to the arrival of Sandrine Gruda.
• June 28: The Sun waived Barbara Turner due to the arrival of Anete Jēkabsone-Žogota.
• June 19: The Sun signed Tan White and waived Kristi Cirone.
• June 5: The Sun waived Lyndra Littles, Danielle Page and Carrem Gay.
• June 3: The Sun claimed Kiesha Brown off waivers.
• June 1: The Sun waived Ketia Swanier and Ashley Hayes.
• April 20: The Sun signed Carrem Gay to a training camp contract.
• April 20: The Sun announced that Tamika Raymond would sit out the 2009 season.
• April 13: The Sun announced Jamie Carey's retirement.
• April 13: The Sun signed Ashley Hayes to a training camp contract.
• April 10: The Sun signed Kristi Cirone to a training camp contract.
• February 13: The Sun signed Anete Jēkabsone-Žogota to a training camp contract.
• January 23: The Sun signed Lauren Ervin to a rookie-scale contract.
• January 21: The Sun signed Barbara Turner, Kerri Gardin, and Danielle Page for the 2009 season.
• January 7: The Sun signed Kerri Gardin and Danielle Page to training camp contracts.

Date	Trade
March 14, 2008	To Connecticut Sun	To Minnesota Lynx
	Minnesota's second-round 2009 Draft pick and Tamika Raymond	Connecticut's second-round 2009 Draft pick and Kristen Rasmussen

Free agents

Additions

Player	Signed	Former team
Kerri Gardin	January 21, 2009	re-signed
Anete Jēkabsone-Žogota	February 13, 2009	free agent
Kiesha Brown	June 3, 2009	Washington Mystics
Tan White	June 19, 2009	Indiana Fever

Subtractions

Player	Left	New team
Jamie Carey	April 13, 2009	retired
Tamika Raymond	April 20, 2009	free agent
Ketia Swanier	June 1, 2009	Phoenix Mercury
Lyndra Littles	June 5, 2009	free agent
Danielle Page	June 5, 2009	free agent
Barbara Turner	June 28, 2009	free agent
Lauren Ervin	July 4, 2009	free agent
Svetlana Abrosimova	2009	free agent

Season standings

Eastern Conference	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Conf.
Indiana Fever x	22	12	.647	–	14–3	8–9	17–5
Atlanta Dream x	18	16	.529	4.0	12–5	6–11	10–12
Detroit Shock x	18	16	.529	4.0	11–6	7–10	11–11
Washington Mystics x	16	18	.471	6.0	11–6	5–12	10–12
Chicago Sky o	16	18	.471	6.0	12–5	4–13	10–12
Connecticut Sun o	16	18	.471	6.0	12–5	4–13	9–12
New York Liberty o	13	21	.382	9.0	8–9	5–12	8–13

Schedule

Preseason

Template:Game log start Template:Game log section start |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 1 || May 22 || 7:00pm || New York || 74-62 || Jones (11) || Black (7) || Whalen (3) || Mohegan Sun Arena
5,578 || 1-0 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 2 || May 27 || 7:30pm || @ Atlanta || 73-76 || Phillips (18) || Black, Ervin (6) || Swanier, Whalen (3) || Philips Arena
4,980 || 1-1 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 3 || May 31 || 7:00pm || Los Angeles || 77-80 || Phillips (11) || Littles (8) || Phillips, Swanier, Whalen (3) || Mohegan Sun Arena
6,630 || 1-2 |- Template:Game log section end Template:Game log end

Regular season

Template:Game log start Template:Game log section start |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 1 || June 6 || 4:00pm || Washington || || 70-82 || Jones (22) || Whalen (6) || Whalen (4) || Mohegan Sun Arena
7,191 || 0-1 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 2 || June 7 || 4:00pm || @ New York || WCTX || 66-57 || Whalen (14) || Whalen (12) || Brown, Cirone, Whalen, Whitmore (2) || Madison Square Garden
13,397 || 1-1 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 3 || June 14 || 3:00pm || Atlanta || || 62-67 || Whalen (16) || Black (9) || Whalen (5) || Mohegan Sun Arena
6,429 || 1-2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 4 || June 16 || 8:00pm || @ Chicago || || 75-78 || Jones, Whitmore (16) || Jones (5) || Whalen (8) || UIC Pavilion
2,396 || 1-3 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 5 || June 19 || 7:00pm || Chicago || || 91-61 || Jones (17) || Gardin (11) || Gardin (7) || Mohegan Sun Arena
5,892 || 2-3 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 6 || June 21 || 3:00pm || San Antonio || NBA TV
WCTX || 71-58 || Jones (19) || Black (8) || Jones, Turner, Whalen (3) || Mohegan Sun Arena
6,928 || 3-3 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 7 || June 27 || 7:00pm || Atlanta || || 82-68 || Jones (24) || Jones (12) || Whalen (5) || Mohegan Sun Arena
6,264 || 4-3 |- Template:Game log section end Template:Game log section start |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 8 || July 2 || 7:00pm || @ Indiana || NBA TV
FSI || 53-67 || Whalen (11) || Black (8) || Brown, Whalen, White (3) || Conseco Fieldhouse
6,468 || 4-4 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 9 || July 5 || 6:00pm || @ Detroit || || 95-92 (OT) || Gruda (23) || Gardin, Gruda (6) || Jones (5) || Palace of Auburn Hills
6,981 || 5-4 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 10 || July 7 || 7:30pm || @ Atlanta || || 67-72 || Jones, White (14) || Gruda, Jones, White (6) || Brown (4) || Philips Arena
6,225 || 5-5 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 11 || July 11 || 7:00pm || Detroit || NBA TV
WCTX || 77-79 (OT) || Jones (23) || Jones (10) || Whalen (3) || Mohegan Sun Arena
6,342 || 5-6 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 12 || July 14 || 7:00pm || Los Angeles || ESPN2 || 82-71 || Jones (24) || Gruda (6) || Jones, Whalen (5) || Mohegan Sun Arena
6,612 || 6-6 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 13 || July 17 || 8:00pm || @ San Antonio || || 72-64 || Jones (17) || Gruda, Whalen (7) || Jones, Whalen (5) || AT&T Center
9,524 || 7-6 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 14 || July 19 || 3:00pm || Indiana || || 67-61 || Whalen (15) || Gruda (9) || Whalen (6) || Mohegan Sun Arena
6,517 || 8-6 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 15 || July 22 || 7:00pm || Sacramento || || 83-75 || Jones (28) || Jones (10) || Phillips (7) || Mohegan Sun Arena
5,675 || 9-6 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 16 || July 28 || 7:30pm|| Phoenix || ESPN2 || 80-95 || Jekabsone-Zogota (15) || Whalen (8) || Holt, Whalen (4) || Mohegan Sun Arena
7,739 || 9-7 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 17 || July 30 || 8:00pm || @ Indiana || FSI || 85-94 (OT) || Jones (21) || Gruda (10) || 5 players (3) || Conseco Fieldhouse
6,538 || 9-8 |- Template:Game log section end Template:Game log section start |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 18 || August 1 || 7:00pm || @ Chicago || NBA TV
WCTX || 72-84 || White (16) || White (6) || Jekabsone-Zogota (6) || UIC Pavilion
3,071 || 9-9 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 19 || August 2 || 6:00pm || @ Detroit || || 83-65 || Whalen (22) || Gruda (8) || Whalen (4) || Palace of Auburn Hills
7,814 || 10-9 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 20 || August 7 || 8:00pm || @ Minnesota || NBA TV
FSN-N || 88-95 || Gruda (21) || Gruda, Jones (6) || Jekabsone-Zogota (7) || Target Center
8,134 || 10-10 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 21 || August 9 || 3:00pm || Washington || || 96-67 || Whalen (16) || Holt (8) || Whalen (5) || Mohegan Sun Arena
6,528 || 11-10 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 22 || August 13 || 7:00pm || Seattle || || 64-53 || Gruda (14) || Jones (10) || Whalen (7) || Mohegan Sun Arena
6,983 || 12-10 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 23 || August 14 || 7:00pm || @ Washington || || 89-91 (2OT) || Jones (23) || Gruda (10) || Whalen (5) || Verizon Center
9,738 || 12-11 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 24 || August 19 || 7:00pm || New York || || 74-69 || Whalen (20) || Whalen (10) || White (6) || Mohegan Sun Arena
6,050 || 13-11 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 25 || August 21 || 7:30pm || @ New York || NBA TV
MSG || 83-85 (OT) || Gruda (24) || Gruda (12) || Whalen (7) || Madison Square Garden
9,355 || 13-12 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 26 || August 22 || 7:00pm || Minnesota || || 98-94 || Gruda, Whalen (21) || Gruda (9) || Whalen (8) || Mohegan Sun Arena
7,803 || 14-12 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 27 || August 25 || 7:00pm || Detroit || || 70-90 || Gruda (19) || Gardin (7) || Whalen (8) || Mohegan Sun Arena
6,811 || 14-13 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 28 || August 27 || 10:00pm || @ Seattle || || 74-86 || Whalen (18) || Gardin (8) || Whalen (5) || KeyArena
6,588 || 14-14 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 29 || August 29 || 10:00pm || @ Phoenix || NBA TV
WCTX || 84-95 || Jekabsone-Zogota (23) || Gardin (13) || Brown, Gardin, Whalen (3) || US Airways Center
9,977 || 14-15 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 30 || August 30 || 9:30pm || @ Los Angeles || NBA TV
FSNW || 81-91 || Jekabsone-Zogota (21) || Gruda (7) || Whalen (9) || STAPLES Center
11,072 || 14-16 |- Template:Game log section end Template:Game log section start |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 31 || September 1 || 10:00pm || @ Sacramento || || 70-90 || Gruda, White (13) || Gruda (5) || Brown, Phillips (3) || ARCO Arena
6,015 || 14-17 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 32 || September 4 || 7:00pm || New York || NBA TV
MSG || 88-85 (OT) || Jekabsone-Zogota (23) || Jekabsone-Zogota (7) || Whalen (7) || Mohegan Sun Arena
6,685 || 15-17 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 33 || September 11 || 7:00pm || @ Atlanta || || 64-88 || Gruda (16) || Gruda (6) || 4 players (2) || Philips Arena
8,644 || 15-18 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 34 || September 13 || 3:00pm || Indiana || WCTX || 95-85 || Gardin (23) || Gardin (8) || Phillips (7) || Mohegan Sun Arena
9,047 || 16-18 |- Template:Game log section end | All games are viewable on WNBA LiveAccess Template:Game log end

Depth

Pos.	Starter	Bench
C	Sandrine Gruda	Chante Black
PF	Asjha Jones	Tamika Whitmore
SF	Tan White	Amber Holt / Kerri Gardin
SG	Anete Jekabsone-Zogota	Erin Phillips
PG	Lindsay Whalen	Kiesha Brown

Regular Season Statistics

Player statistics

Player	GP	GS	MPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
	33	8	13.0	3.2	0.2	0.39	0.82	2.9
	34	0	11.6	1.6	1.1	0.38	0.09	3.8
	4	0	5.8	1.3	1.0	0.50	0.00	1.8
	8	0	7.0	1.6	0.0	0.13	0.00	2.0
	33	23	18.1	4.3	1.2	0.76	0.73	5.5
	26	25	31.2	6.3	1.3	0.88	1.58	13.5
	23	7	16.5	3.2	1.9	0.39	0.09	6.0
	27	16	23.9	2.9	2.2	0.33	0.00	9.4
	23	23	31.6	5.9	2.4	0.87	0.57	16.7
	32	18	23.1	3.2	2.1	1.34	0.09	8.1
	7	0	20.6	2.1	2.0	0.71	0.00	4.0
	34	34	29.4	4.6	4.6	1.26	0.15	12.3
	30	15	22.0	2.7	2.2	1.17	0.30	9.5
	24	1	15.7	2.2	1.0	0.38	0.13	4.4

Team statistics

Team	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TO	PF	PPG
Connecticut Sun	.406	.316	.747	34.8	17.9	7.4	3.8	13.3	19.9	78.0
Opponents	.426	.322	.792	37.5	15.4	7.3	3.7	16.2	20.1	78.1

Awards and honors

• Asjha Jones was named WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the week of July 20, 2009.
• Sandrine Gruda was named WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the week of August 17, 2009.
• Asjha Jones was named to the 2009 WNBA All-Star Team as an Eastern Conference reserve.

Attendance

• A sellout for a basketball game at Mohegan Sun Arena is 9,518.

Regular Season Attendance

Year	Average: Home	Average: Away	High	Low	Sellouts	Total for Year	WNBA Game Average
2009	6,794 (12th)	7,761 (10th)	9,047	5,675	0	115,496	8,039