Connecticut advances to Eastern finals, 76-56

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) -- An infusion of young talent and a change of scenery has done wonders for the former Orlando Miracle.
Reborn last year as the Connecticut Sun, the team landed in the WNBA Eastern Conference finals for the second straight season with a 76-56 victory over the Washington Mystics on Wednesday night.
The best-of-3 series starts Friday night at New York.
Led by the franchise's original members Nykesha Sales and Taj McWilliams-Franklin, the Sun found a way to stop the surging Mystics to advance. They also got plenty of help from rookie Lindsay Whalen in a 21-2 run in the first half of the deciding Game 3.
"You always want to see the young players coming around at the right time," McWilliams-Franklin said. "Players like myself are more productive because we don't have to play as many minutes. We can spread ourselves around."
McWilliams-Franklin made the most of her minutes Wednesday with 11 rebounds, two blocked shots and 10 points. Sales led the team with 18 points, including three 3-pointers during a key first-half run.
Rookie Alana Beard scored 22 points and had four blocked shots for the Mystics, who had won six of their last eight games.
Whalen, a first-round draft pick out of Minnesota, took over during a decisive 6-minute run in the first half that gave Connecticut all the cushion it would need. She finished with 17 points and six assists.