The Dallas Wings will try to get back on track when they host the Washington Mystics in the finale of a three-game homestand on Friday in Arlington, Texas.
The Wings’ most recent game was an 88-83 loss at home to the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday that snapped a five-game winning streak for Dallas (13-10). The Wings were within three points after Arike Ogunbowale’s 3-pointer with 24 seconds to play but would get no closer.
Ogunbowale played all 40 minutes of the game and led the Wings with 25 points in the loss — her third straight game with exactly 25 points. Teaira McCowan amassed 21 points and 15 rebounds, both season highs, and Satou Sabally added 16 points and took 13 rebounds for Dallas.
Dallas shot just 70 percent from the charity stripe (14-for-20) in the setback and missed five free throws in the fourth quarter. After the loss Dallas coach Latricia Trammell lamented a two-minute stretch in the final period when her team surrendered three offensive rebounds that led to six points for Connecticut.
“It was tied at the time, and so that was a two-minute stretch that I wish we had done better, and I know they do too,” Trammell said. “That’s growth.”
The Mystics (12-11) head to Texas after a 97-92 loss at Minnesota on Wednesday. Natasha Cloud had 24 points to lead Washington in the loss while Brittney Sykes added 17 in a game that featured 21 lead changes.
“We weren’t ready to play defensively to start the game,” Mystics coach Eric Thibault said after the loss. “We didn’t want to run back on defense. We didn’t want to block out. And we didn’t want to help each other. And once we fixed that, we got ourselves back in the game and in the lead.”
The Mystics played without the injured Elena Delle Donne (ankle), Ariel Atkins (ankle) and Shakira Austin (hip). All three starters, along with Kristi Toliver (plantar fasciitis), did not travel with the team for Wednesday’s start of their three-game trip.
Washington has lost its past five road games and three of its last four contests overall.
The teams have split the two games between them this season, with Washington winning at home on June 2 and the Wings dominating in a 17-point victory at home on July 2.
–Field Level Media
