ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) — Elena Delle Donne scored 34 points in the first game after helping the United States win an Olympic gold medal, leading the Chicago Sky to a 90-82 win over the Atlanta Dream on Friday night.
The Sky (12-13) used a 15-0 run in two minutes in the third quarter to take the lead and then pulled away after the Dream (13-13) cut a 13-point deficit to one with four minutes to play.
After the Atlanta spurt, Delle Donne scored six straight, four from the foul line, where she was perfect on 14 attempts. Courtney Vandersloot, who had 14 points for Chicago (sixth in the AP power poll) made it 90-80 before the Dream scored again.
Atlanta (fifth in the poll) was leading 60-53 after Tiffany Hayes' 3-pointer midway through the third quarter. Delle Donne started the run with a 3-point play and Vandersloot ended it at the 2:23 mark with a pair of free throws, making it 68-60. Chicago had 31 points in the third quarter.
Cappie Pondexter had 17 points and Cheyenne Parker 14 for Chicago.
Angel McCoughtry led Atlanta with 22 points and Elizabeth Williams had 20 with eight rebounds and six blocks.
(Corrects McCoughtry to 22 points, adds Williams' first name)