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Jessica Shepard's Triple-Double Powers Wings Past Fire 101-97
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- Jessica Shepard's Triple-Double Powers Wings Past Fire 101-97
(Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images)
Video Credit: Dallas Wings
Jessica Shepard achieved her fifth career triple-double, while Arike Ogunbowale and Paige Bueckers scored 45 points. The Dallas Wings narrowly defeated the Portland Fire 101-97 on Wednesday, withstanding a late rally. This victory marks their seventh win in eight games before the All-Star break.
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Ogunbowale scored a game-high 24 points, with 15 in the third quarter, her season's best. She added three rebounds and six assists, shooting 6-of-7 as Dallas shot 62.5% and helped on 13 of 15 baskets to take control.
Ogunbowale, averaging 22.5 points per game over her last four games, has emphasized attacking the paint, and collectively, an aggression has left the team with a sense of momentum.
"We've been sharing the ball. Personally, for me, it's just about getting to the rack, getting to the basket, using my strength to get to the rim and kind of opening things up for our shooters on the outside," Ogunbowale said. "I think we've just been playing really aggressive, and it feels good going into the break like this."
Shepard posted 18 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists for her fourth season triple-double, second in WNBA history with five career triple-doubles. Bueckers, back after one game, scored 21 points, with four rebounds and five assists, her 11th game of at least 20 points and five assists this season. Maddy Siegrist came off the bench and added 14 points, five rebounds, and two assists.
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Wings coach Jose Fernandez praised how Siegrist stepped in and made an impact, emphasizing her skill set being the right fit to combat the matchup.
"I think she's stayed ready, Grant. She's stayed ready. She continues to work, and it's a long year," Fernandez said. "She was big against New York, and that carried over into today."
Dallas led 76-69 in the third before Bueckers' third 3-pointer pushed the lead into double figures early in the fourth, 83-73. Portland responded, cutting it to single digits twice, before Dallas built a 91-81 lead with 3:10 left. The Fire used a 7-0 run to go up 91-88, and Fudd's 3-pointer provided Shepard with a 10th assist to clinch a triple-double and push Dallas up by nine. Portland continued to battle and even trailed just 99-97 before Siegrist's rebound and two free throws secured the win.
Fernandez said late-game turnovers against Portland's pressure defense, which the teams hadn't seen in their first meeting, were the game's one real blemish.
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"We turned it over on that sideline and they hit a three, and then the other one with Shep. We didn't see a lot of their pressure the first time we played them, but that's what they do, and they continue to do it," Fernandez said. "I think our group understands there are different things we need to do a much better job of when it comes to valuing the basketball down the stretch."
Ogunbowale emphasized that Portland's full-court pressure caused turnovers and was a valuable lesson for the Wings.
"They're a pressing team, and I think we were kind of running away from it instead of coming to it and staying off the sideline," Ogunbowale said. "I'm thankful they did that because we can learn from it and get ready for those situations in crunch time. It's always better to learn through a win than a loss."
The Wings out-rebounded Portland 35-22 and won the second-chance points battle 16-4, with Shepard alone grabbing six offensive rebounds to Portland's three as a team.
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Siegrist described the Wings' ball movement, 28 assists on 35 made baskets, as making the difference even through some sloppy stretches.
"I thought we played really unselfishly tonight. I think everyone was moving the ball," Siegrist said. "We had a couple of turnovers where we were probably moving it a little too much, but I think when we play like that, we're really hard to stop offensively."
Megan DiLeo led Portland with 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting, and Carla Leite dished 11 assists. Fire coach Alex Sarama said losing Sarah Ashlee Barker to injury four minutes into the game hurt Portland's defense more than anything.
"It was a huge blow because of everything SA brings. She's the heart and soul of this group. Where we really struggled tonight was on the defensive end, and she's one of the better point-of-attack defenders in the league," Sarama said. Barker's status remained unclear afterward. "She's still pending an evaluation with our performance team. Once they're able to get a good look, we'll know more."
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Bueckers, Shepard, and Fudd go to Chicago for All-Star Weekend. Shepard and Bueckers are All-Star starters; Shepard and Fudd compete in the WNBA Shooting Stars and State Farm 3-Point Contest. Dallas hosts Atlanta Dream on July 29.
