Allisha Gray scored 21 points as the Atlanta Dream, with splendid second-half defense, defeated the visiting Dallas Wings 83-78 on Tuesday night in College Park, Ga.

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus added 16 points, Rhyne Howard chipped in 15 points and Tina Charles finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds to help the Dream (2-1) win their home opener.

Arike Ogunbowale scored 24 points, Teaira McCowan had 21 points and 14 rebounds off the bench, and Monique Billings racked up 20 points and 10 rebounds, but the Wings (1-2) couldn’t come through down the stretch in their first road game of the season. They scored only 30 second-half points.

Atlanta scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter to surge into the lead and led the rest of the way.

Howard finished with 10 rebounds and a team-high four assists. Gray hit four of Atlanta’s seven 3-pointers, but she was just 1-for-4 at the free-throw line.

Gray drained a 3-pointer to give the Dream a 74-68 lead with five minutes left in the fourth quarter.

But after Billings made two free throws, the Wings were within 80-76 with 2:36 left. They failed to pull even the rest of the way, however.

Atlanta won despite shooting 41.7 percent from the floor and committing 13 turnovers. The Wings shot 2-for-16 on 3-pointers, with Ogunbowale going 1-for-8.

Dallas starters Kalani Brown, who seemed limited by an apparent leg injury, and Stephanie Soares were both scoreless in a combined 21 minutes.

Dallas led 48-40 at halftime, boosted by Ogunbowale’s 18 points.

–Field Level Media