Arlington, TX – The Dallas Wings head east this afternoon as they prepare to face the Atlanta Dream for the second time this week in back-to-back games. The game will is scheduled for a 2pm tip-off in Atlanta tomorrow afternoon.
ON THE ROAD
The Wings will hit the road for the first time this month after rounding out the month of June and starting July at home. On the road, the team is 4-4, with wins in Phoenix on 5/14, San Antonio (5/25 & 6/23), and Washington on 6/18. In the eight games played, the team is averaging 82.1 points per game. Skylar Diggins-Smith, Glory Johnson and Kaela Davis have had stellar performances on the road, all scoring 20 plus point games and taking the team to big wins. Rookie Kaela Davis kicked it off in the Wings season opener in Phoenix, scoring 20 points, being the only rookie in franchise history to score that many points in a season opener. Glory Johnson recorded 16 points in one quarter to end the game against Washington on 6/18 with 27 points. She became the first Wings player this season to score over 10 points in a quarter. Skylar Diggins-Smith rounds out the group. Against San Antonio on 6/23, she broke a franchise record with seven 3-point field goals made and ending the night with 30 points. It was the first 30-point game the veteran guard had scored since 6/28/15 in Seattle.
LAST GAME
The Atlanta Dream visited the Wings on 7/5 in one of the Wings most exciting matchups. The Wings led the entire way, allowing the Dream to only pull within four. In the fourth quarter, the Wings took control in the final minutes of the game recording 10 points in the final minute of the game to get their ninth win 94-84. Allisha Gray scored her first 20-point game of the season, a new career high, while Skylar Diggins-Smith led the way with 21 points. It was the first time this season that two Wings players ended the night with 20 points or more.
AGAINST THE EAST
When facing eastern conference opponents, the Wings are 4-4 this season, taking wins over Indiana, Washington, Connecticut and Atlanta. Three of the wins occurred at College Park Center. The 4-4 mark ranks as the best record overall, under the Wings name against eastern conference opponents. The four wins beats last year’s total wins against the East, which was three. Last season, the Wings ended the year with a 3-12 record against the East.
REACH FOR THE SKY
Skylar Diggins-Smith has been instrumental this season. Against Atlanta, she recorded her fourth 20-point game of the season, and moved her way up the league ranks. With the 17.5 points per game, she now sits 10th overall in league leaders and remains in the top five at fourth in total assists leaders averaging 5.8 per game. On 6/23, she recorded her first 30-point game of the season leading the Wings to their seventh victory of the season. The last 30-point game she recorded was on 6/28/15, when she scored 31 points against Seattle. The 30 points scored is four points shy of her career high which also took place against San Antonio on 7/22/14.
ROOKIE SPOTLIGHT
Allisha Gray currently leads all rookies in the league averaging 12.5 points per game. She smashed a career high of 20 points against Atlanta on 7/5. She also leads in boards amongst rookies averaging 4.6 per game. She recorded a season high vs. Indiana on May 30 with a total of nine. With nine blocks overall this season, Gray leads all rookies in blocks. In stops she is averaging 0.72 per game. She also leads all rookies in Amongst rookie leaders, rebounds and steals, averaging 4.6 boards per game and 1.3 steals per game. For the team, she ranks in the top five in scoring, behind veterans Skylar Diggins-Smith and Glory Johnson. Was named WNBA rookie of the month for May and June. It marks as the second time in franchise history for a rookie to get back-to-back month accolades. The first time was when Odyssey Sims was named Rookie of the Month in July and August of 2014.
WATCH US WORK
Tonight’s broadcast will be televised on FOX Sports Southwest East and Live Access.