COLLEGE PARK, GA MAY 21: Atlanta guard Rhyne Howard (10) defends during the WNBA game between the Dallas Wings and the Atlanta Dream on May 21st, 2024 at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, GA.
Allisha Gray scored 21 points to lead five in double figures and the Atlanta Dream rallied in the second half to win its home opener, defeating the Dallas Wings 83-78 on Tuesday night.
The Dream rallied from an eight-point halftime deficit, taking the lead at 63-62 on a Naz Hillmon layup early in the fourth quarter. With seven minutes left, Aerial Powers buried an 18-footer for a 69-64 Atlanta lead.
The teams then traded baskets until a second-chance 3-pointer from Gray gave the Dream a 74-68 lead with five minutes to go. Monique Billings hit two free throws to draw Dallas within 80-76 with 2 1/2 minutes remaining and Teaira McCowan hit a pair from the line to cut it to 81-78 with 40 seconds left.
With 13 seconds left, McCowan fouled Powers while blocking a layup and Powers made both free throws for a five-point lead. Arike Ogunbowale missed a 3-pointer for Dallas, Powers rebounded, and time ran out.
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Cheyenne Parker-Tyus had 16 points, Rhyne Howard 15, Tina Charles 12 and Powers 10 for Atlanta (2-1). Howard and Charles completed double-doubles with 11 and 10 rebounds, respectively.
McCowan had 21 points and 14 rebounds in 33 minutes off the bench for Dallas (1-2). Billings also had a double-double with 20 points and 10 boards. Ogunbowale, the early WNBA scoring leader at 30.0 points per game, scored 24 points on 8-for-20 shooting. She was 1-for-8 from 3-point distance and the Wings made just 2 of 16.
After leading 27-26 through the first quarter, Dallas went on an 11-3 run early in the second and extended the lead to 48-40 at halftime while looking for a seventh straight win over Atlanta.
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Atlanta outscored Dallas 43-30 in the second half.
The Wings played without Natasha Howard for the second game and Satou Sabally has yet to play this season.
