Dallas Wings Team Notes

– Tonight’s 101-72 win marks as the fourth 100-point game this season, which doubles the team’s franchise record for most 100-point games.
– The Wings are now 11-8 for the season and 7-3 at home.
– Against western conference opponents the Wings are 4-3 at home and 5-7 overall.
– The Wings have improved their win streak to four. It ties the longest win streak since moving to the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
– The Wings end the series with the Mercury for the season with a 1-1 record at home and 1-2 mark overall.
– The Wings largest lead of the night was 29 points, which came in the third quarter. The 29 points ties a season high for the biggest lead.
– The Wings 59 points at the half, ties a season high for most points scored in the first half.
– The Wings outrebounded the Mercury 36-21. The Wings are 9-4 for the season when outboarding their opponents.
– Out of the 19 games played this season, the Wings have recorded 30 or more boards in 18 games.
– Off Phoenix’s turnovers the Wings scored a season high of 31 points and allowed the Mercury to score only 10 points off theirs.
– Four Wings recorded double figures for the night.

Wings Quotes

Head Coach Fred Williams

(On tonight’s game) “I thought the first half of the ball game, we just came up with a lot of energy defensively. We had to put a lot of pressure on the perimeter game. I thought our players really stepped up and took the challenge. In the second half they came out of the locker room with a lot of energy. One of our goals is to come out a lot stronger. We came out flat during the first three possessions but after that we were able to still play some solid defense and shoot the ball well.”

(On playing Phoenix) “I just showed them the last five minutes of the last game we played (versus Phoenix) when we had about a 10-point lead, and how we let things slip away. We just focused on those last five minutes and how to play defense and show the intensity. I think they got motived watching that film and in practice, what little practice we had.”

(On four game win streak) “We’ve played a lot of games. Pretty much our games are our practices now. We just have game film and some detail stuff. We are all starting to get to know each other a little more. Our whole staff has done a great job preparing before practice and games. The only thing that we are expressing more is defense. How we play the ball off screens. Once that locks in with any team, that makes you a better percentage on the win side.”

Wings guard Allisha Gray

(On playing together) “We’re just playing together. Everyone is clicking and playing as one, playing as a team. Everyone is playing within themselves and it is working.

(On four game win streak) “It obviously shows that team chemistry is going well, playing together as a team. Everyone is playing well. The team chemistry is going well.”

Wings forward Azura Stevens

(On continuing win streak) “Just stay focused on what we’re doing on defense. We’re staying disciplined on offense but I really think it’s our defense that has helped us a lot. If we look at what other teams do, we know we are going to score so that’s all we have to do.”

(On tonight’s second quarter) “My teammates did a good job of just finding me in the right spots, so it was really up to me to knock down shots and coming in and playing in the rhythm. Not really forcing anything but just letting the game come to me. That’s what I’ve been doing.”

Mercury Quotes

Head Coach Sandy Brondello

Thoughts on the game

“Obviously, Diana (Taurasi) being sick at the start of the game, it hurts us, but that’s no excuse. That team was ready, that team was way tougher than us. They had more sense of urgency, they out-played us in every way.”

On the transition game

“We talked about it at the start of the game, going through our offense, we were just turning the ball over, just unforced. It’s like they’d forgotten how to play basketball. So it’s disappointing but, you know, credit to Dallas. They came out, they’ve been playing extremely well, they’re very dynamic with the way they play with the guards coming off the bench. Powers is getting a little confidence, Stevens is playing good, and we didn’t match them anywhere. It’s just disappointing, really disappointed in our effort.”

On Diana Taurasi’s Status

“Diana is not feeling very well at all, hopefully she gets better soon.”

Forward, DeWanna Bonner

On the game

“They came out and played very aggressive from the beginning, and we played catch-up the whole game. Once they go on a run, they’re a really good team and hard to stop. We need to come out a little more aggressive, but they definitely did a good job coming out first.”

On points in the paint

“They drove to the basket, they just got in the paint on us. I just think they were being aggressive, they did a good job of getting to the basket and finishing. So, we can’t let that happen, we’ve got to help each other.”