Top-pick Rhyne Howard scores WNBA season-high 33 points to lead Dream past Fever
Arike Ogunbowale's 18-point 2nd half leads Wings to victory over Liberty
Top-pick Rhyne Howard had a career-high 33 points — the most in any WNBA game this season — to help the Atlanta Dream beat hosts Indiana Fever 85-79 on Sunday.
In a matchup that featured the two top picks in last month's draft, Howard made 9-of-18 from the field and 12-of-17 from the free-throw line with three steals.
Indiana's NaLyssa Smith — the No. 2 overall selection — scored a season-high 18 points before leaving the game with about 6 1/2 minutes left due to a right ankle injury.
Cheyenne Parker scored eight of her season-high 11 points in the fourth quarter for Atlanta (3-1), including a layup and then an offensive rebound and put back that gave the Dream an 81-76 lead with 55.3 seconds left after Kelsey Mitchell hit a three that pulled Indiana — which led for just 12 seconds in the second half — within a point about a minute earlier.
.<a href="https://twitter.com/howard_rhyne?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@howard_rhyne</a>'s 17 points in the first quarter were the most in any quarter by a Dream player since Brittney Sykes. <br><br>Just wow 👏 <a href="https://t.co/CuEdjIBwug">pic.twitter.com/CuEdjIBwug</a>
—@WNBAHoward and Nia Coffey each made two free throws from there to seal it.
Mitchell, who went into the game averaging 20.8 points per game, third most in the WNBA this season, finished with a season-high 27 points — her third consecutive game scoring at least 24 points.
The teams play again Tuesday night in Indianapolis.
Ogunbowale carries Wings past Liberty
Arike Ogunbowale scored 18 of her 21 points in the second half and the Dallas Wings beat the New York Liberty 81-71 on Sunday in New York.
Dallas (2-1) had a two-point lead at halftime before Ogunbowale got going. She had nine points in the third quarter, including a three-pointer that made it 62-52 with 1:55 left in the period.
New York (1-3) got within five in the fourth quarter but could get no closer thanks to Ogunbowale and Isabelle Harrison, who finished with 18 points.
Step back three for <a href="https://twitter.com/Arike_O?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Arike_O</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/DallasWings?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DallasWings</a> at <a href="https://twitter.com/nyliberty?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nyliberty</a> second half has begun 🏀 <a href="https://t.co/atcONbki88">pic.twitter.com/atcONbki88</a>
—@WNBASabrina Ionescu had 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists to lead the Liberty. Natasha Howard scored 14 points after missing 14 of her 15 shot attempts in her last game.
New York got off to a hot start and led 9-2 behind Howard before Dallas scored 15 of the next 17 points. Gray had 10 points in the quarter and the Wings led 26-22 after one. The Wings held a 39-37 advantage at halftime.
New York guard DiDi Richards was out after re-aggravating a right hamstring injury on Friday. She played four minutes in that game and coach Sandy Brondello said there's no timetable to her return.
Guard Rebecca Allen was back with the team after losing in the finals of the Spanish League. She didn't dress for the game but could play Tuesday in the team's next game against Connecticut.
