"I'm just going against the norm" - Marina Mabrey trying to break barriers on resurgent Sun 

Marina Mabrey has proven a terrific addition to the Connecticut Sun who were already dangerous before her arrival. The five-year veteran spent the first chunk of the season with the Chicago Sky but was traded when the All-Star break struck. She joined forces with longtime nemesis DiJonai Carrington and other stars.

Mabrey's WNBA journey hasn't been easy, as she often had to sacrifice her game or shut her voice down to fit in with teams. The Notre Dame product noted that the Sun has embraced that part of her personality.

"I've always been really competitive and I just understand that women aren't always accepted when they show emotion like that," Mabrey said, per ESPN. "So I'm just going against the norm and saying you can still be a woman and show emotion and competitiveness. It kind of gets me going. I like to compete. I like to talk sometimes."

After being drafted by the LA Sparks in 2019, spending three years with the Dallas Wings and the past two seasons with the Sky, Mabrey has apparently found a team that won't keep her quiet. She's clashed with them in the past, especially Carrington, but has fit right in with her former rival.

In fact, Alyssa Thomas said that she was trying to get Mabrey to the Sun for some time, until the front office pulled the trigger on a move that could push them to the championship.

"I've been trying to get [Mabrey] to come here for a while," said Thomas. "She's a competitor and that's what we are here. She wants to win and she's going to do whatever it takes for the team."

Mabrey and company are doing just fine while showing their intensity against the Minnesota Lynx.

Marina Mabrey clashed with several Lynx players in Game 2

The Connecticut Sun and Minnesota Lynx are battling it out for a spot in the WNBA Finals. The tension has been high between their players, with Marina Mabrey starring in a couple of heated moments.

First, she clashed with 2024 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier after aggressively going for a loose ball, which didn't sit well with Collier. Referees and teammates separated them, but that wasn't the only incident she was involved in.

After that, Kayla McBride seemingly hit her in the face and then shoved her in the back. Mabrey didn't appreciate that gesture and pushed McBride off before referees called a tech on the Lynx star.

Game 3 of this series is scheduled for tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. ET at Mohegan Sun Arena.