Gamecocks in the WNBA: Week 13

South Carolina Women’s Basketball: News • Recruiting • Schedule • Roster • Stats • SEC • Polls • Scholarships

A’ja Wilson and Las Vegas had the spotlight for most of last week, and it was an up-and-down week for everyone involved.

Atlanta Dream (16-16)
Laeticia Amihere (15 games, 7.8 mpg, 3.2 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 0.7 bpg)
78-67 win vs Chicago: DNP-CD

Allisha Gray (32 games, 32 starts, 32.9 mpg, 17.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.1 spg)
78-67 win vs Chicago: 38 minutes*, 20 points, 7 rebounds

Gray capped off Atlanta’s only game of the week by slipping and falling awkwardly while trying to dump water on teammate Cheyenne Parker. I got whiplash just watching it. Despite the fall, it was a good bounce-back win for Atlanta.

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 22 vs Las Vegas (7:00 ET, CBS Sports Network)
Friday, August 25 vs Los Angeles (8:00 ET, Ion)
Sunday, August 27 at Indiana (4:00 ET, NBA TV)

I KNOW YALLLL LYING 😂 @Graytness_15 are you okay?!

The @AtlantaDream come out on top against the Sky 78-67 and gave @1_born_queen a water shower for her career-high 29 PTS#MoreThanGame pic.twitter.com/rS32jS3sE7

— WNBA (@WNBA) August 19, 2023

Connecticut Sun (22-10)
Tyasha Harris (32 games, 15.1 mpg, 4.9 ppg, 1.6 apg, 0.8 rpg, 44.4 3P%)
95-75 loss vs Dallas: 18 minutes, 6 points, 3 assists, 2 steals
79-73 win at Chicago: 11 minutes, 3 points, 2 steals

On Sunday, Connecticut became the third team to clinch a playoff spot. Harris continues to be a productive reserve and is currently third in the WNBA in three-point shooting percentage. 

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 22 at Washington (7:00 ET, NBA TV)
Thursday, August 24 vs New York (7:00 ET, Amazon Prime Video)
Sunday, August 27 vs Los Angeles (1:00 ET, CBS Sports Network)

[Garnet Trust: “We Can Build Champions!”]

Indiana Fever (9-24)
Aliyah Boston (33 games, 33 starts, 31.0 mpg, 14.7 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.3 bpg, 59.9 FG%)
83-79 loss vs Washington: 35 minutes*, 16 points, 10 rebounds
83-73 win at Phoenix: 33 minutes*, 9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks

Victaria Saxton (12 games, 3.3 mpg, 1.3 ppg, 0.7 rpg)
83-79 loss vs Washington: DNP-CD
83-73 win at Phoenix: 3 minutes, 2 points

Indiana is still in last place, but the Fever needs just one win in the final seven games to double last year’s win total, and two wins to match the last two seasons combined. Boston still leads the league in field goal percentage despite, by her standards, a quiet week.

Upcoming games:
Thursday, August 24 vs Seattle (7:00 ET, Twitter or Fever Facebook)
Sunday, August 27 vs Atlanta (4:00 ET, NBA TV)

Las Vegas Aces (28-4)
Alaina Coates (7 total games, 3.4 mpg, 1.3 ppg, 1.0 rpg)
82-63 loss vs New York (Commissioner’s Cup): 2 minutes, rebound
88-75 win vs New York: 1 minute, 2 rebounds
78-72 loss vs Los Angeles: DNP-CD

A’ja Wilson (32 games, 32 starts, 30.4 mpg, 21.3 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 2.1 bpg, 1.9 apg, 1.4 spg)
82-63 loss vs New York (Commissioner’s Cup): 35 minutes*, 9 points, 5 rebounds, block
88-75 win vs New York: 33 minutes*, 21 points, 8 rebounds
78-72 loss vs Los Angeles: 33 minutes*, 25 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals

It was a roller-coaster week for Las Vegas. The Aces had a miserable shooting game and were blown out by the Liberty again. The good news is that game is technically an exhibition, and the Aces bounced back to beat the Liberty in the game that counted, preserving their home-court winning streak in the process. Wilson shot 2-10 in the loss to New York but then bounced back in the win. Her matchup with Jonquel Jones has been the pivotal matchup in all four games this season.

But Las Vegas finished off the week with a shocking home loss to Los Angeles (playing its first game of the week). Las Vegas is still in control of the league, but the Aces haven’t looked invincible lately.

Coates is on her third seven-day contract. It expires Wednesday.

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 22 at Atlanta (7:00 ET, CBS Sports Network)
Thursday, August 24 at Chicago (8:00 ET, NBA TV)
Saturday, August 26 at Washington (7:00 ET, NBA TV)

[Get news from GamecockCentral via email]

Los Angeles Sparks (13-18)
Zia Cooke (30 games, 4 starts, 14.0 mpg, 4.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.8 apg)
78-72 win at Las Vegas: 8 minutes, 2 assists

Cooke didn’t score against the Aces, but the Spark pulled off arguably the upset of the season.

Upcoming games:
Wednesday, August 23 vs Phoenix (10:00 ET, CBS Sports Network)
Friday, August 25 at Atlanta (8:00 ET, Ion)
Sunday, August 27 at Connecticut (1:00 ET, CBS Sports Network)

Minnesota Lynx (15-17)
Tiffany Mitchell (25 games, 13 starts, 22.4 mpg, 8.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.8 apg)
78-70 win at Seattle: 28 minutes*, 14 points, 3 rebounds, assist
88-74 loss vs Seattle: 26 minutes*, 11 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds

Mitchell returned to the starting lineup and pitched in a couple of nice games. However, Minnesota blew a perfect chance to get back to .500 when it had to settle for a split with struggling Seattle. 

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 22 vs Dallas (8:00 ET, Twitter)
Thursday, August 24 at Dallas (8:00 ET, League Pass)
Saturday, August 26 vs New York (8:00 ET, League Pass)

Phoenix (9-23)
Destanni Henderson (15 total games, 1 start, 13.3 mpg, 3.8 ppg, 1.8 apg)
85-63 loss vs New York: 4 minutes, no stats
83-73 loss vs Indiana: 1 minute, no stats

Is it a coincidence that when Henny plays decent minutes Phoenix wins, and when she barely gets off the bench the Mercury loses? Probably, but Phoenix still has a decision to make later Monday. Will they sign Henderson to a third seven-day contract or release her and hope Shey Peddy is able to return soon.

Upcoming games:
Wednesday, August 23 at Los Angeles (10:00 ET, CBS Sports Network)
Sunday, August 27 vs Dallas (6:00 ET, NBA TV)

Discuss South Carolina women’s basketball on The Insiders Forum!