Wings Down the Sun, 82-71
July 6, 2022 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Dallas Wings News Release
Arlington, Texas - The Dallas Wings (10-12) downed the Connecticut Sun (13-8), 82 - 71, at College Park Center, Tuesday night.
2022 WNBA All-Star Arike Ogunbowale led the Wings with 20 points, her ninth-straight game with at least 10 points. She was joined in double-figures by Teaira McCowan (14), Satou Sabally (14), Allisha Gray (12), and Marina Mabrey (12), the fourth time this season the Wings have had five players with 10 or more points.
While the Wings go on break, Ogunbowale heads to Chicago for the 2022 WNBA All-Star game on Sunday, July 10. The Wings return to action next Tuesday, July 12, as Dallas heads north to take on the Seattle Storm (14 - 8).
Notables:
The Wings had five players with 10 or more points for the fourth time this season. The Wings are now 3-1 in those games.
Satou Sabally tallied 14 points, her seventh game with 10 or more.
Allisha Gray scored 12 points and led the team with 8 rebounds.
As a team, the Wings grabbed 34 rebounds.
With her 13th game with 20 or more points, Arike Ogunbowale is now second in the WNBA in 20-point games (20 tonight).
The Wings have made at least 10 free throws in all but one game this season, including 12 tonight.
DALLAS WINGS HEAD COACH, VICKIE JOHNSON
On the aggression tonight
"That's what we've been talking about. We have to mix it up. We want to play inside-out, but definitely when 'Big T' [Teaira McCowan] is in the game, we want to put the ball in the post. We want to put it inside and let it happen and let her get the other team in foul trouble. She did that tonight. Having Satou [Sabally] playing her quality minutes. I'm probably in a little trouble, I think she was supposed to stay at 16 [minutes] and she's at almost 20. But she did a great job, and you could see what she can do on this offense, what she brings to this team, so we're excited to have her back as well. And then, our guards - our guards rebounded the ball very well from a guard position. They all had plus four on the boards. Also assists - we passed and moved the basketball, which was very key for us. We preached today three or four passes. Teams are very good at the first 10 minutes of the shot clock, but when you pass the ball and it gets under the 10 seconds, you will find a layup or open three every time. And they trusted that tonight, so they were able to execute offensively and defensively and make shots. I thought the biggest thing was finishing in the paint, which is a little different than what we're used to. Also, we still have to make free throws. We're working on it. Our players just have to relax and shoot the ball."
On leaving on a win before the upcoming the All-Star break
"It was very important just for the mindset. Also, to enjoy your break as well. We still have a lot of work to do, but this is a good step towards something that we can build on. Seattle is different from Connecticut, so we'll focus our attention. Players will go on break, the coaches will still be watching film and preparing for Seattle because we want to make sure they're ready and we're ready when they come in and we all meet in Seattle on Sunday. And we'll get ready to compete against Seattle on Tuesday.
On the emphasis on passing tonight
"It's amazing for me because we have our moments. We have our moments when we're very good and then we have our moments when we're not very good. When we're actually passing the basketball, understanding the next play, giving up a good shot for a better shot. And I thought we did that tonight. I thought that we had one focus and that focus was to win at whatever cost. We scarified our own individual stuff in order for the team to be successful tonight, which is a great thing.
On progressively becoming a cohesive unit
"It's hard. We have players that have started, and we have players that are coming off the bench and it's difficult. One thing I preach is that it doesn't matter who starts or who finishes. You got to play your minutes and you got to play your minutes hard. No matter who is in the game, you just have to play because we all know the same system. I expect the same thing - I'm not asking any of my players to go outside of who they are. Just play hard, do what you do, and be the piece that we need to complete this puzzle. Because that's all a team is, is a puzzle."
On Teaira McCowan tonight
"She means everything to this team to be honest. I felt last year we were missing an inside presence. B-Jones [Connecticut's Brionna Jones], she probably averaged 23 [points] and 14 [rebounds] against our team and now that we have Teaira, she's able to guard her one-on-one, which is huge for us. And also, she's able to clean up the boards as well. She's a big-time presence and she demands a double team and that's good for our team because we have shooters around her. We're still learning how to play with her and putting the ball on the block at the right time and how to slow it down a little bit for her. But we're still learning, we're not - at first, I was a little frustrated because I was like 'we're there', but we're becoming a good team. And hopefully one day, we'll become a very consistent team and a very disciplined team. In order to be successful in this league, you have to be those things - disciplined and consistent for a long period of time."
On the team's defense tonight
"I thought we were very active as a whole. I thought our post players did a great job of helping off of B-Jones and AT [Connecticut's Alyssa Thomas] and we're able to close back out. Courtney [Williams] started out very well and we switched [Allisha] Gray onto Courtney and Arike [Ogunbowale] picked up the ball and she took it personal as far as putting pressure on the ball and getting deflections and getting over screens. I thought our guards did a great job of protecting the paint and our guards did a great job. Our post players did a great job of protecting the paint, and our guards did a great job of chasing over the top and getting back into play. I think that's something different that we haven't seen consistently for a long period of time, but we did it for 40 minutes tonight."
On Allisha Gray Satou Sabally tonight
"Gray is just Gray, she's going to be active and get shots, defend, get a steal, hit a three, get to the free-throw line. And she's having her best year by far on both sides of the basketball. One of the best two-way players in our league. Satou, what she brings to the table - I had to figure out how to play her because she was limited. We agreed on ending the first quarter and starting the second quarter, and the same in the second half. It was good to see a different look from the four position, pick and pop, knocking down a three, contain or rotate. I thought Satou played with a patience. She wasn't in a hurry to do anything, and I think that was the difference when she came back from overseas. She was anxious, but today she played with patience. She let the game come to her instead of trying to find the game."
Forward Satou Sabally (14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists)
On the team's progression
"I think I just like the flow of our offense a lot better. We're all a lot more patient and have good spacing. I think what really carried us on offense was our defense and that was a big difference maker, so I feel good."
On her performance following halftime
"We've been having really bad third quarters. So, for me, I was really personally telling myself all I can do is come out strong, play off the bench, see what happens. Just really getting that third quarter in because that just carries you throughout the whole game and lets you finish. Third quarters are important, and I set that as my personal goal."
On Teaira McCowan's impact on the team
"She's awesome, I really love T. She's great, she's such a force in the paint and no one can guard her if she is 100 percent and posts up. When we're being agile around her, she's such an addition to our squad because people have to focus on her, it frees Marina [Mabrey] up, it frees me up, frees Arike up as well. Having T is a diamond in the paint."
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from July 6, 2022
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- Five Storm Players Score in Double-Figures in 95-73 Win at Fever - Seattle Storm
- New York Liberty to Host Inaugural Battle of the Boroughs and Sneakerhead Night Presented by Nike on July 23 - New York Liberty
- Storm Win Second Consecutive Game against Fever - Indiana Fever
- Wings Down the Sun, 82-71 - Dallas Wings
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