Wings Blaze Past Mercury, 94 - 84
Published on May 20, 2022 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Dallas Wings News Release
Phoenix, Arizona - The Dallas Wings (3-2) defeated the Phoenix Mercury (2-3), 94 - 84, at the Footprint Center, Thursday night.
Dallas guard Arike Ogunbowale led the Wings with her 11th game of 30 or more points, finishing with 37 points. On her fourth of five threes, she also tied Diana Taurasi as the third-fastest player to 200 made threes (92 games).
Guard Allisha Gray brought the block party to the Valley, as she rejected a career-high five shots, while also adding 16 points on the offensive end of the floor, making her one of just two Dallas players to reach double-figures in all five games this season (Marina Mabrey, 13 points). Gray was not the only Wings player who was swat happy, as the team rejected eight shots, the most this season.
In addition to her 13 points, Mabrey also became the first Dallas player since 2018 to record a double-double with points and assists, as she dished out a career-high 10 assists.
The Wings next return home to face the Minnesota Lynx (1-4) on Saturday, May 21, and will feature Sylvia Fowles last regular season trip to Texas. Tipoff is at 7:00 p.m. CT.
Notables:
Allisha Gray rejected a career-high five shots, becoming the first guard in Dallas Wings history to block five shots in a game. As a team, Dallas had eight rejections, a season high.
Marina Mabrey dished out a career-high 10 assists to record her first career double-double and the first points-assists double-double for the Wings since 2018.
Arike Ogunbowale led Dallas with 37 points, her 11th career 30-point game.
Dallas has made at least 10 free throws in every single game this season (15 tonight).
Allisha Gray and Marina Mabrey have scored 10 or more points in every single game this season (tonight: Gray- 16, Mabrey- 13).
Zoom Recording: Dallas Wings Postgame (Head Coach Vickie Johnson, guard Allisha Gray, guard Marina Mabrey and guard Arike Ogunbowale):
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/34FkJMG1ItjVMPtUkDwTNwLUM5udLZmTvp8vySn-U20Q3GcC1G8YdDJVARqrN404.kT83K7Y6M8HNziNv
Head Coach Vickie Johnson
On the win tonight...
"They were focused, they were locked in, and they knew what we had to do. It wasn't perfect, but we played a complete game for 35 minutes. I thought that the way we moved the basketball as a team - 25 assists is our team goal. We had eight blocked shots. [Allisha Gray] did an amazing job blocking different people, not just the same, and then [Marina Mabrey] had 10 assists. [Kayla Thornton] had 11 rebounds and then Arike [Ogunbowale], how she came out, she was aggressive from the start. She had 20 at half, and 37 at the end of the game and five assists. She didn't settle for jump shots, she was aggressive. We go where she goes, and she knows that. We had a great talk, and it is all about just being focused and locked in an putting the team first."
On the dramatic turnaround from last game...
"I think our team is more focused on the road because there are no distractions whatsoever. We are all together, we are eating together, whatever we do, we do together. We just have to learn how to be focused at home when we have family and friends that come to visit, and make sure to stick to our routine. I think that is the biggest thing. We have to come home on Saturday and get a W against Minnesota and play well in front of our fans."
On what Arike's hot start does for the team...
"What it does for us is make us relax a little bit more offensively. Defensively we feel a little bit better as well. But it just takes pressure off everyone else, making them feel like they have to score, or they have to be aggressive. When she is making shots, everything just flows, everything is relaxed. I thought at the beginning of the game that she was looking for her teammates early. Moving the basketball and getting to spots and making the right basketball play."
On Allisha Gray's defensive performance...
"It is huge. That is something we have talked about all season is that she wants to make first team All-Defense, and she wants to guard the best player, and Diana [Taurasi] is a hall of famer. To get that block at that stage in the game was huge for us and was a reason why we won."
On the bench production...
"More focus. When our bench sees our starters playing with a different focus, they come in with a different focus. They don't feel pressured or anything, they can easily just flow and play basketball offensively and defensively. I thought that [Veronica Burton] came in and had a great steal in transition, [Ty Harris] came in and did her job, [Teaira McCowan] did a great job coming off the bench. It was just a team win. And the players who didn't play, [Jasmine Dickey] and [Charli Collier], they did an amazing job talking to their teammates, cheering for them on the bench. Their time will come. We are playing every other day, so I wouldn't be surprised if they get an opportunity to play on Saturday. It is the flow of the game; at the end of the day, we are trying to win. They are disappointed that they are not playing, but they are excited because the team is doing well."
On starting out 3 - 0 on the road...
"It is a great feeling, but nothing really carries over. It is how we come into LA, or Connecticut next road trip and how we focus in that area. That is a different team, so we just take it one game at a time. But the most important thing for us is Saturday versus Minnesota. Winning at home, in front our home crowd, and playing with the same focus and passion, and the same heart that we play with on the road."
On Marina Mabrey giving the team an extra edge...
"She is different. She is from Jersey, so she is a little different. One thing we talked about is we are not going to settle or back down. We are going to stay together as a team, and that's what we did. I know Diana very well, I know Tina Charles, they are very aggressive, they are aggressive players. So, if they smell fear, they are going to punish you. So, I told our team to stand up, be aggressive, take the hit and then go back at them. Earn their respect, we already respect Diana and Tina Charles, they are hall of famers, and Diamond DeShields. But now it is all about earning respect, and I think we earned their respect tonight."
On the return of Satou Sabally...
"She definitely won't start, because we won't have practice time with her. Our flow is our flow right now. But she will definitely play. She is an All-Star; she will find a way. We haven't changed a lot and she fits in perfectly to our system and what we want to do. She has been playing overseas for seven months now."
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- Wings Blaze Past Mercury, 94 - 84 - Dallas Wings
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