By: Alyssa Merritt

LAS VEGAS — In the first game of a home-home showdown, the Dallas Wings fell to the Las Vegas Aces, 89-82, at Michelob ULTRA Arena.

The Wings came out strong in the first quarter. Crystal Dangerfield was quick off the mark, hitting two jumpers to give the Wings an early lead. Notably, all five Wings starters scored within the first six minutes, setting the tone for the game. The Wings maintained their momentum, making seven out of their first twelve shots, shooting 58.3% from the field. However, the Aces countered with a 9-0 run to close the quarter. Arike Ogunbowale, Dallas’ ace who ranks second in the league in points per game entering the evening, totaled nine points and two steals in the opening quarter.

The Wings carried their momentum into the second quarter, maintaining their aggressive defensive pressure and forcing the Aces into turnovers. The Wings capitalized on these opportunities, converting 10 turnovers into 17 points. Natasha Howard was particularly successful in exploiting the Aces’ switches on Satou Sabally to rack up a team-leading 20 points heading into halftime, tying her career-high for points in a half. Despite the Aces’ Jackie Young putting up 15 points, the Wings went into halftime leading 51-42.

The third quarter saw the Wings facing adversity as Sabally’s return became questionable due to illness. With their rhythm disrupted, the Wings initially struggled on both ends of the court, particularly in the paint where Howard was cautious to avoid her fourth foul. However, they regained momentum with a 10-0 run at 5:04, responding to an early 11-0 run by the Aces. The Wings led narrowly, 67-65, at the end of the third.

In the final quarter, the Aces regained their first lead since the 6:10 mark of the first quarter. Despite a resilient fight, the Wings were unable to answer the Aces’ 11-0 run. Ogunbowale, who had a stellar start, struggled offensively in the second half. With 2:38 left, the Wings were down 78-83. Although they managed to limit the Aces’ points in the paint, they struggled to make crucial shots down the stretch.

Natasha Howard put up a season-high of 32 points (13-23 FG), just one point shy of her career high and also grabbed 13 rebounds, while Teaira McCowan also posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Ogunbowale contributed 12 points and lead the team with seven assists. For the Aces, Jackie Young paced the team with 28 points.

The game ended in favor of the Aces, but the Wings will get a chance to bounce back and secure a win in the coming days. The rematch is set to happen at College Park Center in Arlington, TX on Friday, July 7, at 7:00 p.m. CT with national coverage on ION.