Wings Hold off Indiana, 77-76
Published on July 9, 2023 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Dallas Wings News Release
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana - The Dallas Wings (10-9) beat the Indiana Fever (5-14), 77-76, Sunday afternoon at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in a game that saw 13 lead changes and nine ties.
Arike Ogunbowale's team leading 28 points represents her 11th game scoring 20 or more points this season. The 2023 All-Star starter has recorded the most 20+ point games in the league this season alongside Breanna Stewart, Jewell Loyd, A'ja Wilson and Napheesa Collier (through the conclusion of today's game). Ogunbowale additionally dished out five assists, which gives her five or more assists in 10 games this season. Her average of 4.4 assists ranks her 11th in the league and first on the team.
Natasha Howard totaled 16 points and a team-leading eight rebounds. Howard additionally added a team-leading three blocks and three steals.
Teaira McCowan dished out a season-high five assists, her most since her career high (7) on August 28, 2021 with Indiana. McCowan totaled nine points alongside Crystal Dangerfield, while also recording seven rebounds and two steals. Dangerfield recorded three rebounds, which now makes it eight straight games with three or more rebounds for her.
Dallas Wings Notes:
Each Dallas starter recorded an assist with Teaira McCowan and Arike Ogunbowale leading with five each, while Odyssey Sims added five off the bench.
Each starter made it to the free throw line, with four players shooting 100%.
Ogunbowale recorded 14 of the team's 18 fourth quarter points.
Dallas forced 18 turnovers and converted those into 16 points.
Dallas outscored the Fever 19-10 in fast break points, a figure the Wings lead the league in with an average of 13.7.
Up Next:
The Wings will finish out the first half of the season against the Minnesota Lynx at Target Center on Wednesday, July 12 at 12 p.m. CT with coverage on Bally Sports Southwest.
Score after 1st Quarter: Dallas 27, Indiana 17
Score at Halftime: Dallas 38, Indiana 38
Score after 3rd Quarter: Dallas 59, Indiana 59
Final Score: Dallas 77, Indiana 76
POST GAME QUOTES
Head Coach Latricia Trammell
On her thoughts of the final minutes...
"That's the game, right? Fortunate that we had free throws and good rebounds there at the end. But, I always tell the players if you don't play your best basketball, because obviously this wasn't our best basketball, and you can still pull off a win on the road then you're daggum pretty good."
On how important today's win was...
"In this league every game is important. And I know I keep saying that, but we've got to continue to win. I told them in one of the timeouts, I said, "You know what separates good from the great? Is when if you want to be in that championship talk, you've got to win on the road." So that's something that we talked about, and these players always respond. I mean, they find moments to make big plays at the best time possible. Let's talk about Arike [Ogunbowale]. 14 points in the fourth, she took it over. We had Natasha [Howard] with eight rebounds and 16 points. We always laugh and Natasha says she's got ice in her veins and so does Rike [Arike Ogunbowale]. She really gave us that lead that we needed to pull it off."
On her thoughts on Indiana's final shot...
"I was praying to God - I don't know if this is the best thing to - I was praying to God that it would be missed to be honest, and I hoped someone was there to contest without fouling, and they were so that was a good thing."
On what she saw from Natasha Howard's defensive effort today...
"Well, she is a former Defensive Player of the Year in this league, and that's one thing I told her during a timeout I challenged her a little bit, and she came back with a vengeance. So, her defensive mentality there especially during the stretch was absolutely fantastic. Iit's great to have someone like that who can play inside-out defensively and make a major impact, and she did."
On what these close wins show about the team's development...
"I think just the resilience, the growth, mentally, physically, and emotionally for that matter. But I think it's finishing. If you remember early in our season, we would get down score wise and would struggle to come back. It's more of laying our head down and trying to find that competitive spirit that it's going to be okay and make every possession count, and they have done that, they do not give up. They play until the end and that's one of the reasons that we've won the last 3 that you mentioned."
On if the media needs to highlight Ogunbowale's improved passing ability this season...
"Yeah, I agree with you and appreciate you bringing that up. Because Rike has definitely increased her assists this season and is playing balanced basketball. She had 28 points but as you mentioned, 5 assists. She's devalued in that area, she's an all-around basketball player. Let's add to the assists, but let's talk about her defense. I don't think people respect her enough on the defensive end. I mean, she's a great defender. I just can't say enough about Arike, she's the best of the best."
On Ogunbowale's willingness to get others involved in today's game...
"Well, I love that, and I appreciate you bringing that up because you are exactly correct. So, I can tell you're locked in during the game. She was making some special moments to Tea [Teaira McCowan], passing wise that created a foul or an easy basket so she trusts her teammates, she has that trust that she doesn't have to put the team on her back, even though she's capable of it."
On if she called the double team on the last play of if Teaira McCowan made that call on her own...
"That's on her own. She knew at the time and score, knowing that she could bring that length and it would be hard to pass out. That was just brilliant by her."
On how the team builds on this effort going into All-Star break after these last two games...
"Focus on the positive. What they did well, and what's working for this team. We talked about the passing and sharing of the ball, the spacing was really good, getting stops when we needed. So, just reiterating that and continuing to show them what's working."
On some of the keys to victory in this matchup...
"Yeah, I think one of the things we talked about, the Fever does such a good job of getting points in the paint. If you look at their last 2 games, they had 44 points and 46 points, they only had 36 tonight, so that was a key to victory. We wanted to keep them out of the paint as much as possible. Another thing is second chance points, that's an enhancement that I told the team after the game, because their right underneath us at number two, we're number one in the league in second chance points. We gave them too many with 15, so we've got to make sure that we try to make sure to not try to out jump them, but to put a body on someone and try to get them in foul trouble. Also, just feeding off of each other, you know, take one possession at a time, don't try to win the game in the first possession or the last possession, and stay consistent with what we do, and I thought the team did that."
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