After blowout loss, the Chicago Sky return to Wintrust Arena for a decisive Game 5 with a trip to the WNBA Finals on the line

Coach James Wade summed it up best Tuesday after the Chicago Sky dropped Game 4 of their WNBA semifinal series to the Connecticut Sun: “It’s a single-elimination game now.”

In the final week of the regular season, the Sky lost back-to-back games to the Seattle Storm and Las Vegas Aces, who booked their ticket to the WNBA Finals on Tuesday night. And now with the series returning to Wintrust Arena on Thursday night for a decisive Game 5, the Sky find themselves with their backs against the wall.

In the first round the Sky won an elimination game on the road in New York, but location can’t be a factor this time around.

“It’s always more comfortable for us to play at home,” Wade said. “But we can’t lean on that as a comfort. We have to come out and play our brand of basketball no matter where we play.”

The Sky had Connecticut’s number in all four regular-season meetings, but the Sun came out firing on all cylinders Tuesday to force Game 5.

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The usual fast-paced, free-flowing Sky offense didn’t show up, but it was their defense that let the game slip away. The Sun went on a quick 10-2 run to open the first quarter and ended the first half on a 20-8 run.

The Sky, whose defense was a highlight of Game 3, were often caught unaware and reacting to runs instead of taking the helm. The 104 points allowed is the most the Sky have given up all season.

Connecticut was in control all night, shooting 56.9% from the field and 40% on 3-pointers.

“Their style of offense is going to depend on our defense,” Wade said. “If we give open layups, then they’re going to make them. But if we don’t give them, then they’re not going to make them. It’s five-on-five at this point, and we have to dictate that.”

Veteran guard Allie Quigley believes the team has what it takes to prevent its second back-to-back losses of the season and advance to the Finals for the second year in a row.

“We just have to stay together and just have that mentality that we’re not going to lose,” she said. “We’re going to do everything we can to win. We’re going to be more focused on the details and just have more energy than them.

“We’re going to stick together. That’s the main thing: stay together.”