Angel Reese finishes with 12 points in WNBA debut

The 2024 WNBA season tip off for the Dallas Wings and Chicago Sky came highly anticipated as collegiate phenom Angel Reese made her debut tonight.  For Chicago, it was players like veteran Marina Mabrey and newly added and former Wings’ player, Diamond DeShields, who carried the scoring early in the game for the Sky.  Reese started her WNBA career with a slow start, but ended her debut with 12 points, and shooting 5 for 14 from the field in 28 minutes.  Dallas countered with a balanced scoring from starters Natasha Howard, Teaira McCowan, and Arike Ogunbowale combining for 58 of the 87 points that the Wings scored.  With each lead that Chicago seemed to impose, the Wings refused to go away. 

The momentum seemed to change for good when Arike scored a three to cut the lead to 69 to 67 with 7:29 left in game.  The Sky got into the Bonus with 5:35 left in the game and Angel Reese extended their lead with a wide-open layup to put Sky in front 73 to 69.  Dallas came back on defensive stops that lead to fast break points from  tremendous defense. It was a tied game with 3:29 left.  The Wings took the lead with 2:26 left in the game.  Maddy Siegrist was a great 6th woman off the bench when she made a shot from the perimeter to extend the lead 80 to 75, 1:47 left in game.  Wings secured the lead 84 to 75 with back-to-back buckets from Arike with 1:04 left in the game. 

For the Wings, shooting 45% from the field, and holding Chicago to 39.2% was a major factor towards the victory.  In addition, Dallas shot 80% from the free throw line, and outrebounded the Sky 42 to 37.  Chicago did have their five starters all score double digits (Reese 12, Williams 12, DeShields 14, Mabrey 19, Evans 10).  The Wings and the Sky will play again on Saturday night before the Wings head out on a five-game road trip.