Consistency and balance will be the key to Wings’ three-game road trip
After losing three straight games, the Dallas Wings are back on the map as they took down the Atlanta Dream Tuesday to improve their home record to 5-2.
Arike Ogunbowale and Natasha Howard led the way with 44 points combined to help Dallas beat the Dream 85-73. The team snapped Atlanta’s three game winning streak, holding them below their scoring average of 93 points.
“We knew we need this game coming in before we hit the road, so everybody brought in and everybody did their part individually,” Howard said.
The Wings outshot Atlanta 40% to 32.8, while knocking down 35% of their attempted threes. A main part of their outside scoring came from Ogunbowale who shot 75% from three in the first half.
"She has bought in, and is a great leader,” Coach Latricia Trammell said. “She can get it done on both ends of the court.”
Defensively, she did her part in limiting former teammate Allisha Gray to nine points on 3-11 shooting.
Along with Ogunbowale, Teaira McCowan also contributed in her first game back, as she poured in seven defensive rebounds and two blocks.
“To be able to come in and contribute like she did, she just brings that post presence, rim protector,” Coach Tammell said.
Defense was the main turnaround for the team’s success. On paper the Wings had eight more defensive rebounds than the Dream, while also finishing with six steals and eight blocks.
Coach Tammell spoke about the defensive adjustments the team worked on.
“Locking down some of their players, defending the three, rebounding, just a lot of good things,” she said. “It’s an area of growth and that right there was a great defensive team performance.”
Along with high scoring and defense, the Dallas’ bench was another deciding factor. In 16 minutes off the bench Kalani Brown recorded a double double scoring 11 points while bringing in 14 rebounds. Combined the Wings’ bench dropped in 18 points, 20 rebounds, three blocks and three steals.
“Maddy (Siegrist) had 4 points, Jasmine (Dickey) had great defense, Ashley (Joens) coming in with the mask trying to figure that out, it was a just a great team effort,” Coach Trammell said.
Balance proved to be the difference Tuesday as Dallas’ starters and bench all played a role, while the team made adjustments defensively to combat their three-game losing streak.
With back-to-back road games against the Los Angeles Sparks and a game against the Phoenix Mercury, the Wings will look to improve their 1-4 away record.
Against the Sparks last week, Dallas failed to have the same type of performance they had on Tuesday. The team allowed Los Angeles to shot 51.6 from the field, as the Wings allowed 42 points in the paint, while committing 18 turnovers.
Offensively, Dallas struggled to matchup with the Sparks as they saw a six-point halftime deficit turn into an 18-point blowout.
“You know LA came in and dominated on our homecourt and that’s not what we want, so we have to try and go over there and do the same for them,” Ogunbowale said.
Balance and consistency will be crucial for the team’s three game road trip. If Dallas can play well on both ends of the court, the team has a good chance of coming back home with a winning record.
It will also be up to players like Ogunbowale, Howard, and Satou Sabally to continue playing at a consistently high level. Going back to the game against the Sparks, both Ogunbowale and Sabally failed to score 20 points or higher. Their high-level production will be crucial for a team looking to go on a run of their own and gain momentum in the top half of the WNBA standings.
“Anything can happen on any given night it’s professional basketball,” Coach Trammell said. “We just continue to preach; we talk championships all the time that’s the culture we want to create, and we just try to focus more on the positive.”