Dallas Wings (7-7) vs. Indiana Fever (5-9)
Date: Saturday, June 25
Time: 7:30 PM (CDT)
Site: College Park Center
Television: Fox Sports Southwest+, NBATV
Probable Starters
Wings: Karima Christmas, Glory Johnson, Courtney Paris, Odyssey Sims, Skylar Diggins
Fever: Marissa Coleman, Tamika Catchings, Erlana Larkins, Tiffany Mitchell, Briann January
Storylines
Dallas rides into Saturday night’s game on a four-game winning streak. Over the course of the last four games, the Wings are averaging 100.5 points per game on 46 percent shooting from the field. The streak includes a triple-overtime win at Phoenix and an overtime win at home vs. San Antonio.
Five Wings players scored double-digits in Thursday night’s win, the third time over the course of four games that total was reached…
- vs.Seattle (Christmas-17, Sims- 17, Paris- 13, Powers- 13, Johnson- 10)
- at Phoenix (Diggins- 27, Pierson- 18, Pierson- 18, Sims- 18, Johnson- 15
- vs.San Antonio (Pierson- 21, Diggins- 19, Sims- 19, Christmas- 17, Johnson-11)
The Wings backcourt duo of Skylar Diggins and Odyssey Sims has combined to average 36.6 points per game over the winning streak. They rank 8th and 11th in the league, respectively, over the last four games. Only the duos of DeWanna Bonner & Diana Taurasi from Phoenix (42 ppg) and Tina Charles & Sugar Rodgers from New York (39.3 ppg) have outscored the Wings duo in that time.
Glory Johnson has averaged 13 points and 9.75 rebounds per game over this stretch with three straight double-doubles (at PHO, vs. PHO, vs. SA).
Dallas wraps up a three-game home stand on Saturday night. The Wings will go on a west coast trip to Los Angeles and Seattle next week, before returning home on July 2nd for a tilt with the Connecticut Sun. The Sun are the only team the Wings have yet to play this season.
WNBA icon Tamika Catchings will play in her first and only professional game in the DFW area on Saturday. The Indiana forward and Duncanville, TX-native is retiring this season after 16 years in the league. Catchings is the only player in WNBA history to rank among the top 10 leaders in career points, rebounds, assists, steals, and games played.
What the Wings are saying about Saturday night’s game…
Head Coach Fred Williams- “The Fever have improved their defensive rotations since we played them in May. Their guards are starting to push the ball more in transition for them to get some offensive scoring. They’re known for their defense, helping out a lot and shortening the floor.”
Assistant coach Ed Baldwin- “I think the Fever have gotten better because they’ve gotten people back, just like we have. We feel that it’s going to be a tough game. It doesn’t seem like we really know what they’re about from our first game because it was the first game of the season. We just have to go look at their tape and know what they do well. They feature Catchings, she is a great player. Briann January is just an outstanding force at point guard, and Marissa Coleman on the wing. Those are probably the players that we have to focus in on, but they have been doing better in scoring in the post with Lynetta Kizer. We just have to play our game and do what we do.”
Guard Brianna Kiesel- “I think they have some great team chemistry. They have Briann January coming back from the last time we played them. They are also missing a couple players. They are a good team, they are competitive. They have some veteran leadership. We just have to go out there and compete.”
Forward Plenette Pierson- “They are playing better as a team. Sometimes you have those lulls early in the season where you are trying to get everybody acclimated, back and healthy. They are healthy now and really playing strong.”
Forward Theresa Plaisance- “They are coming together more as a team. I think every team in the league by this point has really figured out their identity. They are really using their guard-to-post game a lot better this time around. They are a tough team coming in. With Catchings coming in on her last go around, she is going to give it all she has and she is one of the best to ever do it. I’m just looking forward to a good game.”
The Wings on Indiana forward Tamika Catchings…
Head Coach Fred Williams- “She’s meant a lot. She has been a true professional all the way through. I think she is a great representation of women’s basketball. She is just a person that I’ve admired when coaching against her and have always had a great friendship while being competitive with one other. I know she has a lot of people in this area, it’s a good thing for thing for basketball and the WNBA.”
Assistant coach Ed Baldwin- “When I think of Tamika, I just think of class. I think of a pro. She is a pro’s pro. She has done so much for the women’s game, but in college at the University of Tennessee and on our Olympic teams. She’s just been a great women’s basketball and a great ambassador for women’s basketball.”
Forward Plenette Pierson- “She has been a true competitor and true leader from day one when she stepped into this league. She gives 110%. I try to mimic that in my game because she is a great inspiration to everyone. From all of her obstacles in life, she is still standing and has made a name for herself.”