Gamecocks in the WNBA: Week 10

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Last week in the WNBA, Victaria Saxton finally got into the scoring column while A’ja Wilson and Allisha Gray had huge games.

Atlanta Dream (14-11)
Laeticia Amihere (13 games, 8.1 mpg, 3.2 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 0.6 bpg)
78-65 win vs Phoenix: 9 minutes, rebound
95-84 loss at New York: 4 minutes, 2 points
80-73 win vs Washington: DNP-CD

Allisha Gray (25 games, 25 starts, 33.3 mpg, 18.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.1 spg)
78-65 win vs Phoenix: 25 minutes*, 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists
95-84 loss at New York: 39 minutes*, 25 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists
80-73 win vs Washington: 37 minutes*, 27 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists

Gray tied her career-high with 27 points against Washington, giving her back-to-back games with at least 25 points. She’s hit that mark six times this season after doing it just once in her six seasons in Dallas. Gray’s previous career-high scoring average was 13.3 points, and she is also averaging a career-high in rebounds and assists. It’s quite the career renaissance after Gray was basically shown the door by Dallas.

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 1 at Las Vegas (10:00 ET, League Pass)
Thursday, August 3 at Phoenix (10:00 ET, Amazon Prime Video)
Sunday, August 6 vs Indiana (3:00 ET, ESPN3)

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Connecticut Sun (18-7)
Tyasha Harris (25 games, 14.3 mpg, 4.5 ppg, 1.4 apg, 0.9 rpg, 43.6 3P%)
88-83 win at Dallas: 3 minutes, no stats
87-83 loss vs Minnesota: 4 minutes, steal

After playing nearly 20 minutes per game and performing well in recent weeks, Harris became a non-factor this week. 

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 1 vs Minnesota (7:00 ET, ESPN)
Friday, August 4 at Indiana (7:00 ET, Ion)

Indiana Fever (6-19)
Aliyah Boston (25 games, 25 starts, 30.4 mpg, 14.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.2 bpg, 59.4 FG%)
79-78 loss at Los Angeles: 26 minutes*, 9 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
81-68 loss at Los Angeles: 33 minutes*, 12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks
85-62 loss vs Seattle: 32 minutes*, 14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals

Victaria Saxton (8 games, 2.9 mpg, 0.6 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 100.0 3P%)
79-78 loss at Los Angeles: DNP-CD
81-68 loss at Los Angeles: DNP-CD
85-62 loss vs Seattle: 10 minutes, 5 points, rebound, 1-1 from three

Boston seems to be slowing down a little, although she still leads the league in shooting percentage. It’s fair to wonder if she has hit the rookie wall, especially since Boston has to carry a heavier load with NaLyssa Smith out. 

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But let’s talk about Victaria Saxton. She played seven games and almost three months without scoring a point. We were starting to wonder if she would score at all this season. She got rare first-half playing time Sunday, and with eleven seconds left in the half, Saxton got a pass on the wing and drained a three-pointer. Saxton was 1-3 from behind the arc in her Gamecock career, so the only thing ess likely than going the entire season without scoring was making a three to break the streak. She liked scoring so much that she added a putback later.

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 1 vs Phoenix (7:00 ET, ESPN3)
Friday, August 4 vs Connecticut (7:00 ET, Ion)
Sunday, August 6 at Atlanta (3:00 ET, ESPN3)

Aliyah Boston gave major props to Victaria Saxton for making her first points in today's game.

"For her to get in today and make a positive impact like she did was amazing." pic.twitter.com/rLCu3W39uZ

— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) July 30, 2023

Las Vegas Aces (23-2)
A’ja Wilson (25 games, 25 starts, 30.8 mpg, 20.7 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.3 bpg, 2.0 apg, 1.3 spg)
107-95 win at Chicago: 30 minutes*, 24 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks, 3 steals
104-91 win vs Dallas: 36 minutes*, 22 points, 7 rebounds, 6 blocks, assist

The Aces avenged the loss to Dallas and continue to go scorched earth on the rest of the league. This week they get games against the surging Dream and the Liberty, the “other” superteam. The latter game could have major implications in the MVP race between Wilson and Breanna Stewart.

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 1 vs Atlanta (10:00 ET, League Pass)
Sunday, August 6 at New York (3:00 ET, ABC)

Los Angeles Sparks (9-16)
Zia Cooke (25 games, 4 starts, 13.4 mpg, 4.1 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.8 apg)
79-78 win vs Indiana: 16 minutes, 2 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
81-68 win vs Indiana: 17 minutes*, 5 points, steal
87-79 loss vs New York: 7 minutes*, turnover

Cooke moved back into the starting lineup, but she seems to be less productive playing with the starters. It’s also possible that, like Boston, Cooke is running into the rookie wall.

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 1 vs New York (10:00 ET, NBA TV)
Friday, August 4 at Washington (7:00 ET, Ion)
Sunday, August 6 at Washington (3:00 ET, ESPN3)

Minnesota Lynx (13-13)
Tiffany Mitchell (19 games, 11 starts, 24.3 mpg, 8.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.0 apg)
97-92 win vs Washington: 15 minutes, 6 points
88-83 win at New York: 16 minutes, 5 points, 2 assists, rebound
87-83 win at Connecticut: 13 minutes, 2 points, 2 assists, steal

Mitchell has seen her playing time and productivity dip slightly since her return from a sprained left wrist. But with wins over New York and Connecticut last week, she will surely take the tradeoff. 

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 1 at Connecticut (7:00 ET, ESPN)
Friday, August 4 vs New York (8:00 ET, Ion)

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Free Agents
Alaina Coates (2 games, 3.0 mpg, 1.0 ppg, 0.5 spg)

Professional sports can be cruel. Coates was signed on June 27. She played two minutes that night but did not register a stat. Two days later Coates had two points and a steal in four minutes. After the game, she was released.

Coates has not been able to catch on with another team.

Destanni Henderson (10 games, 1 start, 16.9 mpg, 5.0 ppg, 2.5 apg)

Los Angeles terminated Henderson’s contract on July 15 in order to activate injured Layshia Clarendon. Clarendon, a former All-Star, started the first six games of the season before suffering a foot injury, so the move wasn’t a shock. 

Henderson proved she belongs in the league. If she doesn’t get picked up by anyone else this season, she at least ensured she’ll get a training camp invite next year.

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