Marina Mabrey drops 19, but the Wings pull away from Sky 87-79 in season opener
ARLINGTON, Texas - ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Arike Ogunbowale scored 14 of her 25 points in the fourth quarter, Teaira McCowan and Natasha Howard had double-doubles and the Dallas Wings pulled away down the stretch for an 87-79 win over the Chicago Sky in a season opener on Wednesday night.
Trailing 75-73 with 3:16 to go, the Wings scored the next 14 points, capped by a deep 3-pointer by Ogunbowale for an 87-75 lead with 31 seconds left. Ogunbowale had nine points in the run with Howard, who finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds, adding two and Maddy Siegrist hitting a 3-pointer to give her 13 off the bench.
McCowan had 18 points and 13 rebounds.
Marina Mabrey had 19 points and nine rebounds for the Sky, who had all five starters in double figures. Diamond DeShields, back for her second stint in Chicago, had 14 points, first-round draft pick Angel Reese and Elizabeth Williams, who played for Washington last season, both had 12 and Dana Evans had 10.
Mabrey hit a 3-pointer to give Chicago a 43-40 halftime lead. Mabrey, who had 13 points at the break, and Michaela Onyenwere hit consecutive 3s for a 24-14 advantage in the first quarter.
Down 25-16 after one quarter, Dallas came back and took a 36-35 lead on an offensive rebound and putback by Stephanie Soares. It was the first professional points for the 2023 first-round pick out of Iowa State, who didn't play last year because of an ACL tear her senior season. McCowan had 16 points and 10 rebounds at halftime for the Wings.
Williams' basket tied the game at 62 entering the fourth quarter.
Jaelyn Brown, who played four years overseas after going undrafted in 2020, started for Dallas but was scoreless. Jacy Sheldon, the Wings' first-round pick, had two points in nine minutes.
What Chicago Sky players and management said about the WNBA implementing charter flights
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced Tuesday the league would be using charter flights this season. The Sky had plenty of reaction during the team's media day on Wednesday.