Dupree scored 23 points to lead the Chicago Sky to their first victory of the season, 81-73 over the Atlanta Dream on Friday night.
Dupree had made only one 3-pointer on 17 attempts over her first three seasons. But with second-year 6-foot-6 center Sylvia Fowles battling double-teams in the post, Dupree took it upon herself to stretch opposing defenses.
"In the offseason it was something I worked on a lot," Dupree said. "I was working out twice a day just shooting jumpers. We have Sylvia inside now so I had no choice but to extend my range. To be able to knock down 3s is huge for me."
Fowles scored 18 points and Jia Perkins added 17 points and seven assists for Chicago (1-1).
"Candice came out and did exactly what everybody doesn't think she can do, which is shoot a 3," Sky coach Steven Key said. "That's something we've been emphasizing since the end of last year and she's been putting in the extra time."
Iziane Castro Marques scored 20 points to lead Atlanta (1-2), which lost a league-record 30 games last year as an expansion team and retooled the roster with seven new players.
"We really fought back and got it close," Dream coach Marynell Meadors said. "Everybody has to remember we're a work in progress. This is our second year but we've got a lot of good players who just haven't played together."
Angel McCoughtry, the first overall pick in this year's draft, scored 11 points, Sancho Lyttle had 11 and Chamique Holdsclaw added seven for the Dream.
Dupree scored nine of the Sky's first 11 points as Chicago took a 21-13 lead after one quarter. The Sky increased their lead to 12 midway through the second quarter and led 43-34 at halftime.
"The difference was the beginning of the game," Castro Marques said. "They outscored us in the beginning of the game and it's hard to come back from that, especially on the road."
The Dream cut it to four with five minutes left, but Chicago responded with a 9-2 run to put the game out of reach.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2009/6/221095