The second half of the WNBA season provides an opportunity to reset and refocus.

That even applies to the Chicago Sky, who still hold onto playoff hopes despite being one of three teams with single-digit wins entering Thursday’s game against the Connecticut Sun.

Chicago (9-18) stands six games out of the eighth and final postseason spot with 17 to play.

Thursday’s meeting with the Sun (7-21) kicks off a five-game homestand for the Sky, who won two straight at Wintrust Arena before dropping two road contests.

“We have a long home stretch coming. We want to be present,” Sky coach Tyler Marsh said. “We want to take advantage of what’s in front of us and treat this second part of the season as a new season.”

One notable area for improvement on Chicago’s proverbial performance review: Executing in crunch time. Eleven of the team’s losses have come by eight points or less.

Chicago closed the second half with road losses at Atlanta and New York by three points combined.

“Staying disciplined,” said rookie guard Sydney Taylor, who has scored in double figures in seven straight games. “Most of (the losses) were due to foul calls and bad fouls on our part.”

Connecticut had a shorter All-Star break than the Sky, returning to action on Tuesday. Despite scoring 33 points in the first quarter — a team best for any quarter this season — the Sun were unable to maintain the momentum in a 92-84 loss at Washington.

Aneesah Morrow (21 points) and Olivia Nelson-Ododa (16 points, six rebounds) kept Connecticut afloat. Washington aimed to force the Sun to the outside while limiting their paint touches. Connecticut met the challenge, shooting 11-for-25 from deep.

“Tough loss, but we have to learn from that and be ready to play against the same kind of game plan against Chicago,” Sun coach Rachid Meziane said.

Thursday’s winner will earn at least a split of the season series. The home team prevailed in the previous two meetings, including an 85-80 Sky victory on June 5. Connecticut is set to host Chicago on Aug. 25.

–Field Level Media

Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell II is expected to miss up to eight weeks with a partially torn LCL in his left knee which he sustained during Wednesday’s practice, according to multiple media reports.

The third-round draft pick was seen holding his left knee after going down during seven-on-seven drills before he was carted off the field. He was transported inside the practice facility on a cart after appearing to have difficulty standing.

“He felt weird on it, sat down. We took him in,” Carolina coach Dave Canales told reporters after Wednesday’s practice. “We’ll get a full evaluation and get a picture of that, and we’ll give you guys more information there.”

It was also reported that Brazzell is expected to get a second opinion.

Brazzell, 22, had returned to practice Wednesday morning after missing the previous few training camp sessions with a knee injury.

“It was just something that kind of started to get sore after the first couple of days, and then we just, he mentioned it to us,” Canales said of the initial injury. “We started to look at it and we put him through some good recovery stuff and de-loaded him for a couple of days, got him back out there, and he couldn’t finish the day.”

The 6-foot-4, 198-pound wideout caught 62 passes for 1,017 yards and tied for the SEC lead with nine touchdowns last season at Tennessee.

–Field Level Media

The Seattle Storm issued an apology statement Wednesday, one day after one of their co-owners verbally accosted two teenage female fans with expletives because they were holding signs supporting the views of Indiana’s Sophie Cunningham during a home game against the Fever.

The teenagers each had a sign, one saying “Thank You Sophie for speaking up for girls!” Cunningham recently went to bat for the protection of women’s sports and keeping them female-only.

Independent journalist Brandi Kruse reported that minority owner Celeste Keaton told the girls they were “f—ing insane.”

“We are aware one of our co-owners made comments to two fans in attendance at last night’s game,” Storm majority owner Ginny Gilder said in a statement. “We apologize that this happened. Everyone who attends a Storm game deserves to feel welcome, and we remain committed to creating an inclusive environment where every fan is treated with respect.”

Kruse told Fox News that the scene included Seattle players making thumbs-down gestures to the girls. Some fans also made their opinions known.

“Some of the fans were relentlessly booing at them,” Kruse told Fox News. “And I kind of turned around and said, ‘Look, they’re just teenage girls.'”

Last year, a New York Times poll displayed that 79% of Americans don’t want men playing in women’s sports.

The issue was recently in the news when the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June that states can ban transgender athletes from participating in women’s and girl’s sports.

During a recent interview with ESPN, Cunningham weighed in about women’s sports, emphasizing girls should never have to compete with biological men.

“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans,” Cunningham told ESPN. “And I’m like, ‘I never once said that.’

“I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”

Cunningham received a mix of cheers and jeers during Wednesday’s game, which was won 105-95 by the Fever. There was a rally outside the arena prior to the game where proponents of women’s sports had signs thanking Cunningham for speaking up for girls and women. Pro-transgender activists also were on the scene.

The Fever didn’t allow Cunningham to face questions after the game. She made three 3-pointers and scored 11 points.

The Storm (6-24) lost their seventh straight game and own the worst record in the league.

–Field Level Media