Vandersloot injury, blowout loss put damper on Sky debut at United Center
There were lots of reasons for enthusiasm for the Chicago Sky on Saturday night.
The team was on a two-game winning streak, opening the Commissioner’s Cup against an Indiana Fever squad without Caitlin Clark and hosting a game at the United Center for the first time. There were lots of reasons for enthusiasm for the Chicago Sky on Saturday night.
But when point guard Courtney Vandersloot collapsed to the hardwood in the first quarter, all that enthusiasm disappeared. Despite a 79-52 loss to drop the Sky to 2-5, all the postgame focus was on Vandersloot.
“It’s heartbreaking. It’s heartbreaking to watch anybody (get injured), but especially one of your teammates,” Hailey Van Lith said after the game. “We’re all very concerned, and our hearts go out to ‘Sloot’ right now. Right now we’re giving her a lot of energy.”
Vandersloot was carried off with 5:29 remaining in the first quarter after driving into the lane and getting fouled. She began clutching her right leg as soon as she hit the ground and was unable to put any weight on it. With their point guard getting carried to the locker room, the rest of the Sky players were understandably deflated.
“When one of your key pieces goes down so early in a game, it’s hard to adjust and regroup,” Rebecca Allen said. “With someone like ‘Sloot’ going out, it’s where you want every individual to step up and do more. And I felt today we didn’t do that for her.”
When Vandersloot departed the game, the Fever held a 9-6 lead. But with its floor general gone, the Sky offense got stuck in the mud. Chicago failed to score more than 15 points in any quarter and was outscored 47-26 in the second and third quarters.
“Our hearts are with ‘Sloot’ … when she went down, it kind of took the energy out of the building a little bit on our side, and it was tough for us to regroup from that,” Sky coach Tyler Marsh said. “Trying to bounce back from that was tough, especially from a highly energetic and physical Indiana team … . They just made it difficult tonight.”
The turnover issues that plagued the Sky at the beginning of the season also returned, thanks in no small part to Vandersloot’s absence. The Sky committed 19 turnovers, including 11 in the first half, while making just 18 field goals. The result was a season-low 52 points.
“I just felt that they out-toughed us. They played a tougher style, and we didn’t do it back,” Allen said. “I don’t think we got a lot of great open looks with them playing us so tight.”
And the windows will get even tighter in the Sky’s next game. The team travels to New York to take on the defending champion Liberty on Tuesday night. The Liberty has opened up the 2025 season 8-0 and boasts the best scoring defense in the WNBA.
“We’ve got to all do a little bit more pitching in wherever we can,” Marsh said. “We’ve got to stick together and fight through. I think we’ve just got to be persistent and consistent in playing the style of basketball that we want to play.”
And in Vandersloot’s absence, Van Lith will have to be the leader of that style. While the rookie was understandably shaken after the game, she said she’ll be ready for the challenge.
“That’s going to be a huge piece of my role on the team. … When I can get downhill and get in the paint, I can create for my teammates,” Van Lith said. “Whatever is in store in the future for this team, I trust that we will find a way to make this moment mean something in the end.”