Allisha Gray poured in a game-high 26 points and the Atlanta Dream pulled away early in the fourth quarter to claim a 77-72 win over the host Dallas Wings on Tuesday night.
Center Angel Reese, in her second game for the Dream (2-0) tallied her second double-double with 12 points and 16 rebounds, eight of those on the offensive end.
Arike Ogunbowale scored 20 points on 7-for-15 shooting for the Wings (1-1). Paige Bueckers had 15 points on 5-for-12 shooting and Jessica Shepard tallied 12 points and eight rebounds. Top overall draft pick Azzi Fudd did not play due to a knee injury.
The teams, which had won their openers over the weekend, played an ultra-competitive first three quarters before Atlanta opened up a lead early in the final stanza and held on for the win.
The Dream trailed 59-58 entering the fourth period but opened the fourth-quarter scoring with Gray 3-pointer to claim a lead they would not surrender. Gray bombed a long trey a few seconds later, and Jordin Canada followed with a floater in the lane to open a 66-59 advantage with 8:05 to play.
Dallas pulled within three points on two occasions, lastly at 68-65 on a Bueckers jumper with 5:33 to play, but Canada answered with a driving layup on the ensuing possession and the Wings never pulled within a single score again.
The Dream stretched their advantage to as many as 10 points before coasting to the finish.
Gray, a three-time All-Star, shot 9-for-20, including 4-for-9 from 3-point range.
Canada added 19 points for the Dream on 8-for-15 shooting, as well as seven rebounds and five assists. Rhyne Howard contributed 14 points. Atlanta’s bench totaled five points.
Dallas’ best moments came in the second quarter when it opened a nine-point edge, but a 4-for-26 night (15.4%) from 3-point range helped doom the Wings.
–Field Level Media
