Photo Credit: Dominic Ceraldi
ARLINGTON, TX — It was a back-and-forth matchup between the Dallas Wings and the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday evening. Although it looked like Dallas had momentum to take the double-overtime win, they came up short in the final period, losing 97-90.
Arike Ogunbowale led Dallas with 25 points, seven rebounds, and 10 assists. Dallas had their remaining starters finish in double figures, with second-leading scorer Teaira McCowan posting 20 points, nine rebounds, and four assists; Maddy Siegrist with 12 points; Sevgi Uzun adding 11 points; and Monique Billings with 10.
Ogunbowalen made history in Sunday’s matchup, setting a new WNBA record. She has had the longest streak of 20-point games to start the season (10 consecutive games). This evening also marked Siegrist seventh-straight game scoring in double-digits.
Dallas showcased outstanding first-half performances from rookies Jacey Sheldon and Maddy Siegrist. Siegrist faced off against veteran Diana Taurasi, while Sheldon matched up against Natasha Cloud. Both young players demonstrated confidence by taking shots and playing aggressively on the defensive end.
With the experienced matchups challenging the Dallas guards, the game shifted to the post players. McCowan came through in the clutch, scoring eight points in the first half and tying the game at 21-21 with a 3-foot shot. Dallas then went on a run until Phoenix regained control. In Brittney Griner’s second game back, she led Phoenix with 12 first-half points and two blocks.
Both teams were tied 78-78 at the end of the fourth quarter, sending the game into overtime. Teaira McCowan tied the first OT, 85-85, with a successful two-pointer. However, Dallas’ momentum did not carry into the second overtime. Phoenix opened the period with an 11-0 run over the Wings, with Kahleah Copper capping the win with a three-pointer in the last 52.1 seconds.
Head coach Latricia Trammell said postgame that she is happy with the fight her team put up, highlighting numerous positive takeaways from the game.
“I love the fight, I love the determination to even be in that position and I thought they limited their threes,” said Trammell. “That is something they talked about, shooting thirty to fourty threes per game. They live and die by it. So for them to hold Phoenix to only twenty-seven percent…And our bench outscored theirs for the fifth time this season, which is progress.”
Siegrist also had a positive outlook on their overtime loss, stating, ‘We are gaining valuable game-ending experience, and this will only improve our performance in September and October’.
“It is always tough when you play a close game like this…where you have multiple opportunities to win it,” said Siegrist. “But we are getting a lot of ending game experience, coming from a younger player. So come September or October, I mean playing in June is great, but this loss is okay because we will take this and learn from it.”
UP NEXT: The Dallas Wings will have a much needed break and will prepare to take on the Seattle Storm on Thursday, tip-off is set for 6 p.m. in the College Park Center.
