Sky lose again, 83-72

Tina Charles had 24 points and 14 rebounds to help the Connecticut Sun open a four-game road trip with an 83-72 win over the Sky on Tuesday night.

Charles earned her 13th double-double of the season as the Eastern Conference-leading Sun (18-6) improved to 9-2 on the road. Kara Larson had 18 points and Renee Montgomery added 15.

Reserve Courtney Vandersloot scored 17 points to lead five Chicago players in double figures. Swin Cash added 15 points, and Carolyn Swords, Epiphanny Prince and Sonja Petrovic each had 10 for the Sky (9-15).

Chicago, which snapped a nine-game losing streak with Sunday's 82-70 victory at Connecticut, has now lost 10 of its last 11. The Sky were without center Sylvia Fowles, the WNBA's rebounding leader, for the second straight game.

Vandersloot scored eight straight points in the first quarter as the Sky surged from a 13-6 deficit to a 14-13 lead with 2:32 showing. The Sun jumped back ahead on a Lawson jumper and went on to a 21-20 lead by quarter's end and never trailed again.

Charles scored 10 second-quarter points and Connecticut took control with a 13-2 run that opened a 40-27 lead with 3:06 left. Chicago, which shot 12 of 38 (31.6 percent) from the field in the first half, never got closer than nine as the Sun opened a 44-33 advantage by halftime.

The Sun led 58-44 after three quarters and the lead hit 21 midway through the fourth when Jessica Moore hit a 3-pointer to open a 73-52 lead.

Fowles was absent for personal reasons, according to a team spokesman. The U.S. Olympian leads the WNBA in rebounding (11.4) and is seventh in scoring (17.6 points).

The Sun limited the Sky to 4 for 24 shooting from 3-point range. Chicago had hit 10 last Sunday.

Connecticut is at San Antonio Thursday, while Chicago travels to Indiana on Saturday.