Pondering her team’s potential when it plays disciplined and unencumbered, Dallas Wings forward Myisha Hines-Allen said “the sky’s the limit.”
As it happens, the Sky stand as Dallas’ next opponent, with the Wings preparing to visit Chicago on Wednesday with a pair of late-May losses in mind.
“Moving forward, we have a Chicago team that we’re about to play that we owe a game to,” Hines-Allen said. “They beat us twice, and we know they’re coming out hungry, too.”
Dallas (6-14) suffered a home-and-home sweep in late May at the hands of the Sky (5-13), a feat the Wings hoped to duplicate against Phoenix. After defeating the visiting Mercury 98-89 on Wednesday, the Wings dropped a 102-72 drubbing on Monday night.
With several players sidelined with injuries, namely Arike Ogunbowale (left thumb), Dallas started four rookies for the second straight game. JJ Quinerly paced the Wings with a career-best 18 points, while fellow rookies Aziaha James (15) and Paige Bueckers (11) also finished in double figures.
“You never know when your opportunities are going to come,” Wings coach Chris Koclanes said, “and they’ve been really consistent in learning how to become pros and what those habits are like and to be ready whenever your opportunity comes.”
Chicago has lost nine of 12 since defeating Dallas on May 29 and 31. The Sky have a quick turnaround after losing 81-79 at Washington in a Tuesday matinee.
Chicago’s Angel Reese notched her sixth consecutive double-double, contributing 22 points and 15 rebounds. She also stretched her league record to six straight games with at least 15 boards.
Still, Reese expressed frustration. With the score tied at 77 and 31.1 seconds to play, she slapped a clipboard out of the hands of a Chicago assistant coach as the Sky challenged a loose-ball foul that had been called against them.
“We just have to be better,” Reese said. “Can’t let it go down and come down to one possession.”
Elizabeth Williams added 20 points and seven rebounds for Chicago, which knows it must be more physical under the glass against the Wings and beyond.
“We did not box out tonight. We continue to think that we can outjump people, including myself,” Reese said. “Yeah, I get 15 rebounds but I have to still put body on body and box out. So, we just have to be better.”
–Field Level Media
