ARLINGTON, TX — Arike Ogunbowale and the Dallas Wings (3-4) return to College Park Center to host the back-to-back WNBA champions, the Las Vegas Aces (4-2). This game marks the first for both teams in the Commissioner’s Cup.
The Wings are coming off a 76-87 loss to the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday evening. Ogunbowale led Dallas with 21 points, while Monique Billings, a valuable addition to the team, contributed 19 points and 15 rebounds. Satou Sabally remains sidelined as she recovers from shoulder surgery.
The Las Vegas Aces enter this matchup following a narrow 74-79 loss to the Atlanta Dream on Friday night. A’ja Wilson spearheaded the Aces’ efforts with a 28-point performance, adding nine rebounds and three assists. Kelsey Plum chipped in with 19 points, and Jackie Young added 15 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
This game promises to be an exciting offensive showdown, featuring the league’s top two scorers. Ogunbowale leads the league with an average of 26.6 points per game, closely followed by Wilson at 26.5 points per game. Additionally, this will be the first time College Park Center hosts Kate Martin, the No. 18 overall pick, who is averaging 5.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.
In their last meeting, the Aces swept the Wings 3-0 in the 2023 WNBA semifinals. Dallas’s offense features two other double-digit scorers: Maddy Siegrist (13.4 PPG) and Teaira McCowan (12.3 PPG). Despite Chelsea Gray’s absence, Jackie Young has stepped up admirably, ranking second in the league with 7.7 assists per game.
To succeed, the Wings must focus on maintaining a strong rebounding presence, particularly against Wilson, who is challenging league records with averages of 12.5 rebounds and 10.2 defensive rebounds per game. Las Vegas excels in defensive rebounding, securing 77.2 percent of opponent misses, while Dallas lags with a league-low 63.4 percent.
Another sold-out game is expected, continuing the trend when these two teams meet. Last season’s semifinal game saw a capacity crowd of 6,251. This game will be the Wings’ third regular-season sellout of the 2024 season, following sold-out matches against the Chicago Sky and now the Aces.
Tip-off is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. at College Park Center.
