Arlington, TX– In their final preseason game, the Dallas Wings defeated the Las Vegas Aces, 68-55, behind a tremendous defensive performance that included 14 blocked shots and 12 steals.
The Wings jumped out to a 6-0 lead behind great defense from Liz Cambage, before the Aces battled back and pulled within three midway through the first quarter. The Wings took a 27-17 lead into the second quarter after a 13-5 run led by Glory Johnson, who paced the team with the seven points and four rebounds in the opening frame.
After the Aces fought back at the beginning of the second quarter, Skylar Diggins-Smith converted an and-one basket to extend the lead to double digits, 33-22. The half concluded with an Azurá Stevens three-pointer followed by an and-one from Allisha Gray to push the lead to 40-25, the Wings largest of the half. Stevens led the way with a team-high eight points on 3-for-5 shooting.
“The biggest takeaway from Stevens was her overall basketball IQ is great,” said Head Coach Fred Williams. “She is still learning our system, defensively she has got blocked shots and open shots down to a science. She has been a great asset to our team, and we look forward to see what she can do for us this season.”
The Wings soared out of the gates in the third quarter, extending the lead to 16, their largest of the game. But Tamera Young pulled the Aces back in the game, scoring 11 straight points and leading Las Vegas on a 15-0 to tie the game at 44. Saniya Chong drilled a jumper to end the Aces run and propel the Wings to a 52-46 lead after the third quarter.
The Wings dominated the defensive end in the fourth quarter on their way to a 68-55 win. Four players scored in double digits, including Stevens who led the team in scoring for the second time this preseason with 12 points on 5-for-9 shooting.
Liz Cambage scored 11 points to go with six rebounds and three blocked shots, while Glory Johnson added 11 points and five boards. 2017 Rookie of the Year, Allisha Gray, totaled 10 points while grabbing six rebounds and three steals.
The Wings will tip-off the regular season on the road against the Phoenix Mercury on May 18. They will open at home on May 20, when they take on the Atlanta Dream. Tickets are available for purchase at dallaswings.com.