COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) — Rhyne Howard had 25 points and eight assists as the Atlanta Dream started fast and finished strong to defeat the Dallas Wings 86-69 on Friday night.
The Dream (3-1) raced to a 16-3 lead to open the game. The Wings (3-3) clawed back and took their only lead, 64-63, with 7:35 to play, but Atlanta closed with a 23-5 flourish.
Allisha Gray had 16 points and Angel Reese had 15 points and nine rebounds for Atlanta. Howard had missed the previous game while in the concussion protocol.
Awak Kuler had 16 points off the bench to lead Dallas. Odyssey Sims had 14 and Jessica Shepard 10. Paige Bueckers, who averages 20.8 points, was held to seven points and Arike Ogumbowale had two, 15 below her average. Bueckers and Ogumbowale combined to shoot 4 of 24.
FEVER 90, VALKYRIES 82
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlyn Clark had 22 points and nine assists in her return after missing a game with a back injury, Aliyah Boston had 20 points and 16 rebounds, and Indiana beat Golden State for their third straight win.
Clark made four 3-pointers. Kelsey Mitchell added 19 points for Indiana (4-2), going 11 for 11 from the foul line. Sophie Cunningham had 11 points off the bench.
Reserves Tiffany Hayes (19 points) and Kaitlyn Chen (18 points) led the Valkyries (3-2). Veronica Burton added 17 points and Kayla Thornton had 10.
STORM 77, SUN 59
SEATTLE (AP) — Zia Cooke scored 16 of her career-high 25 points in the first half, rookie Flau’jae Johnson had her best game of the season and Seattle beat Connecticut.
Johnson, the No. 8 pick in the recent WNBA draft, had 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists, all season bests. Natisha Hiedeman added 11 points for the Storm (2-4), who avenged a last-second loss to the Sun on Wednesday. Seattle won 89-82 at Connecticut in the second game of the season.
Diamond Miller had 13 points for Connecticut (1-6) and Aaliyah Edwards scored 10. Brittney Griner missed her fourth straight game with a rib injury.