ARLINGTON, TX- The Wings hosted the Los Angeles Sparks tonight, falling by a score of 87-79.
It was a close matchup throughout the game as the Wings took a commanding lead going on a 21-9 run in the first quarter, led by Odyssey Sims. At the end of the third quarter, Sims continued to electrify the court, tying the game at 62 all.
Sims ended the night leading the team in points with a season high of 26, going 10-for-21 from the field. Glory Johnson also contributed with a double-double, scoring 16 points and recording 15 boards.
For Los Angeles, Nneka Ogwumike led the team for the night scoring 28 points and registering 12 rebounds, while Kristi Toliver scored 24 points. Also hitting double digits for the Wings was rookie Aerial Powers with 14, and Karima Christmas with 10.
The Wings continue their weekend of home games on Sunday, September 4, when they take on the Washington Mystics for their Breast Health Awareness Game, presenting by Baylor Scott & White Health. Fans can still purchase tickets by logging onto www.dallaswingsbasketball.com
Team Notes
•Dallas built an eight-point lead at the end of the first quarter by going on a 21-9 run over the last seven minutes. The run was sparked by an Odyssey Sims corner three and included two Aerial Powers ‘and-one’ plays.
•The Wings grabbed 36 rebounds tonight, the most by the team since they registered 34 vs. Minnesota on July 17. Dallas is averaging 34.6 rebounds per game this season with a season high of 49 at Atlanta on July 8.
Player Notes
•Odyssey Sims set a new personal season high with 26 points. Her previous high of 23 came twice this season on May 21 and May 27. It is the sixth time this season that the guard has reached the 20-point mark.
•Sims’s 12-point third quarter also ties a season-high mark set by Skylar Diggins in the third quarter on June 21 vs. Phoenix. It is the third time this season a Wings player has scored 12 points in a quarter (also Diggins in the fourth quarter at PHO on 6/18).
•Glory Johnson grabbed 15 boards to go along with her 16 points on the way to her seventh double-doubles of the season and first since July 8th at Atlanta. Johnson is averaging 13.2 PPG/9.8 RPG in 16 games coming into tonight.
•Rookie Aerial Powers had an electrifying first half tonight, completing three ‘and-one’ plays on the way to a team-high 11 points at the half. Powers shot 4-7 from the field and went 3-3 at the free throw line in the first two quarters tonight. The rookie finished with 14 points and 5 rebounds.
DALLAS WING POSTGAME QUOTES
WINGS HEAD COACH FRED WILLIAMS
(On tonight’s game)
“I thought we put some pressure on LA early. I thought their size and inside game, especially in the second half, gave us some difficulty. We rolled out some different lineups with Pierson in foul trouble. We had to go with some smaller lineups to open the floor. They shot pretty good from outside. They hit some key shots early. I thought our young ladies worked hard and had some opportunities towards those last two minutes of the game.”
(On forward Glory Johnson)
“Each day she gets better and gets in floor. I thought she got real physical for the first time in a few games. You can always depend on her to get 10 boards for you, or more. I thought a lot of those were second effort off the offensive glass. I thought she kind of kept us in there for a while on the offensive glass.” (On the fourth quarter)
“I thought the post ups by Ogwumike on the inside gave them some and-ones and some key shots in the paint. Toliver got loose some. But for us, we had some shots that went in and out for us. We had some threes and some open looks. Aerial Powers had a nice three that kind of put us in there. We kept battling.”
(On his message for Sunday’s game)
“We just have to go out and play hard. I thought we played hard tonight. I keep preaching that each game. We can talk about our window for the playoffs, but we also want to talk about the window for this season too. We still want to build and learn with this young team we have and keep competing. Those teams that make it in the playoffs are probably going to have two or three Olympians versus the teams that don’t get in there. No excuses for us. I thought we played hard throughout the whole season and throughout the whole year, even with the circumstances we’ve had with injuries and Skylar’s comeback. I’m always going to preach that you need a full season to have your team gel and reinforce for the following year. I’m not counting this team out at all until someone shuts the window on us.”
WINGS FORWARD GLORY JOHNSON 16 Points 15 Rebounds
(On how she felt on the court)
“It felt pretty good to contribute. Rebounding is my main focus because it shows a little bit of hard work and it is tough rebounding against people that are bigger than you. That was my main focus while trying to help my team out somehow because offensively I wasn’t really in it since I’ve been back, so crashing the boards was my focus.”
(On Sunday’s game)
“I think we are going to focus. Of course, we are going to focus on the next team. We’re going to focus on practice, first of all, correcting some of the things that we messed up in this game and learn from our mistakes. We’re going to move forward in the next game and try to get that win.”
(On how she felt)
“I felt pretty good! A little sore but that is every game. It’s about getting back in and moving, and try to get this next win.”
(On the physical game)
“That’s kind of how every game is with me. It’s physical. I try to crash the rebounds and they don’t want me in there. That’s kind of how it is so I have to hold my own while I’m in there.”