ATLANTA — Ivory Latta scored 16 of her 18 points in the second half to help the Atlanta Dream end the longest losing skid to start a season in league history with a 91-84 win over the Chicago Sky on Saturday night.
Kristin Haynie had 11 points and 11 assists and Jennifer Lacy added 18 points for Atlanta (1-17), which became the first team without a win by the midpoint of the season when it lost to Connecticut on June 27 to fall to 0-14.
Atlanta was routed in a home-and-home series with the Sky (5-11) last month. Chicago won 86-72 in Atlanta on June 6, then followed with a 91-70 victory at home to set a franchise record for largest margin of victory.
Tamera Young, Betty Lennox and Iziane Castro Marques had 10 points apiece for the Dream, who overcame a 13-point deficit in the first quarter for the win.
A layup by Chasity Melvin and another from Dominique Canty gave Chicago an 81-80 lead with 1:54 left in the fourth, but the Sky would not lead again after Atlanta scored six straight points.
Young hit two free throws to put the Dream up 82-81 with 1:36 remaining. Latta, who played only five minutes in the first half, scored on a layup then Young added two more free throws to push Atlanta’s lead to five points.
After a scramble for a rebound, the ball bounced out to Perkins, who knocked down a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 86-84 with 20.7 seconds remaining. But the Dream pulled away, making their next eight free throws.
Jia Perkins led Chicago with 24 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Candice Dupree added 19 points.