South Carolina women's basketball: Gamecocks in the WNBA - Regular Season Recap and Playoff Preview
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Allisha Gray helped Atlanta sneak into the playoffs, meaning there are former Gamecocks in every first round playoff series. Recap the season and look ahead to the playoffs in a special Gamecocks in the WNBA.
(First round series are best-of-three.)
Atlanta Dream (15-25)
Laeticia Amihere (17 games, 4.9 minutes, 1.1 pts, 1.6 rebs)
Amihere made a rare appearance in consecutive games.
Last week:
Vs Chicago (86-70 win): 2 minutes, no stats
At New York (78-67 win): 10 minutes, 3 points, rebound
Allisha Gray (40 games (40 starts), 33.2 mpg, 15.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.1 spg)
Gray contributed a couple of nice all-around games to help Atlanta rally for a playoff appearance.
Last week:
Vs Chicago (86-70 win): 33 minutes*, 15 points, 3 blocks, 2 rebounds, assist
At New York (78-67 win): 20 minutes*, 10 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists
Upcoming games:
Sunday, September 22 at New York (1:00 ET, ESPN) – Game 1
Tuesday, September 24 at New York (7:30 ET, ESPN – Game 2
Thursday, September 26 vs New York (TBD, ESPN2) – Game 3 (If necessary)
Chicago Sky (13-27)
Kamilla Cardoso (32 games (29 starts), 27.4 mpg, 9.8 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.4 bpg)
With the playoffs a long shot (and likely facing a pair of blowout losses to New York even if they qualified), the Sky opted to cut their losses. That meant Cardoso sat both games to avoid doing further damage to her injured shoulder.
Last week:
At Atlanta (86-70 loss): DNP-Shoulder
At Connecticut (87-54 loss): DNP-Shoulder
Kaela Davis (4 games, 13.0 mpg, 3.0 ppg, 1.0 RPG)
Because Chicago sat many of its key players, Davis got a chance to play major minutes in the season finale. She put a nice performance on film to show potential employers this offseason.
Last week:
At Atlanta (86-70 loss): 13 minutes, rebound
At Connecticut (87-54 loss): 31 minutes, 12 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks, assist, steal
Upcoming games:
Chicago’s season is over.
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Connecticut Sun (28-12)
Ty Harris (39 games (38 starts), 28.8 mpg, 10.5 ppg, 3.0 apg, 1.8 rpg, 1.0 spg)
Harris goes into the playoffs playing well. She led all scorers with 15 points against Chicago. More surprisingly, she averaged 2.0 blocks last week. You don’t expect that from your point guard.
Last week:
Vs Minnesota (78-76 loss): 31 minutes*, 9 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 assists, steal
Vs Chicago (87-54 win): 26 minutes*, 15 points, 4 assists, block
Tiffany Mitchell (24 games, 16.3 mpg, 4.9 ppg, 1.5 RPG)
Mitchell still has not returned to the court, but she has been able to travel with the team. So far there is no update on whether she will be available for the playoffs.
Last week:
Vs Minnesota (78-76 loss): DNP-Illness
Vs Chicago (87-54 win): DNP-Illness
Upcoming games:
Sunday, September 22 vs Indiana (3:00 ET, ABC) – Game 1
Wednesday, September 25 vs Indiana (7:30 ET, ESPN) – Game 2
Friday, September 26 at Indiana (TBD, ESPN2) – Game 3 (If necessary)
Indiana Fever (20-20)
Aliyah Boston (40 games (40 starts), 30.9 mpg, 14.0 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.2 bpg)
Indiana was already locked into their playoff spot, so the Fever’s key players only got limited minutes against Washington. Boston broke the franchise record for rebounds in a season that she set last year.
Last week:
At Washington (92-91 loss): 18 minutes*, 10 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, steal
Victaria Saxton (9 games, 2.5 mpg, 0.9 ppg, 0.3 RPG)
Saxton finished the season on a high note, tying her career-high with five points.
Last week:
At Washington (92-91 loss): 5 minutes, 5 points, 2 rebounds
Upcoming games:
Sunday, September 22 at Connecticut (3:00 ET, ABC) – Game 1
Wednesday, September 25 at Connecticut (7:30 ET, ESPN) – Game 2
Friday, September 27 vs Connecticut (TBD, ESPN2) – Game 3 (If necessary)
Las Vegas Aces (27-13)
A’ja Wilson (38 games (38 starts), 34.4 mpg, 26.9 ppg, 11.9 rpg, 2.3 apg, 2.6 bpg, 1.8 spg)
By the time the Aces tipped off Thursday they knew they were locked into the fourth seed, so Las Vegas rested most of its key players. That meant Wilson didn’t get to further pad her record-breaking stats. Now the focus turns to a three-peat.
Last week:
At Seattle (85-72 win): 35 minutes*, 21 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, steal
Vs Dallas (98-84 win): DNP-Rest
Upcoming games:
Sunday, September 22 vs Seattle (10:00 ET, ESPN) – Game 1
Tuesday, September 24 vs Seattle (9:30 ET, ESPN) – Game 2
Thursday, September 26 at Seattle (TBD, ESPN2) – Game 3 (If necessary)
[Win two tickets to the South Carolina-Ole Miss football game]
Los Angeles Sparks (8-32)
Zia Cooke (29 games, 8.9 mpg, 3.6 ppg, 0.6 rpg, 0.6 apg)
Cooke had a nice game against the Mercury but didn’t get a chance to build on it. That seemed to be the story of the disappointing season for her.
Last week:
Vs Phoenix (85-81 loss): 17 minutes, 9 points, rebound, assist
At Minnesota (68-51 win): 2 minutes, no stats
Upcoming games:
Los Angeles’ season is over.
Phoenix Mercury (19-21)
Mikiah Herbert Harrigan (31 games (3 starts), 10.8 mpg, 3.2 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 0.4 bpg, 0.5 spg)
Herbert Harrigan had two of her best games of the season last week. Now, Phoenix will be heavy underdogs against Minnesota.
Last week:
At Los Angeles (85-81 win): 18 minutes, 10 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals
Vs Seattle (89-70 loss): 16 minutes, 9 points, 5 rebounds
Upcoming games:
Sunday, September 22 at Minnesota (5:00 ET, ESPN) – Game 1
Wednesday, September 25 at Minnesota (9:30 ET, ESPN) – Game 2
Friday, September 27 vs Minnesota (TBD, ESPN2) – Game 3 (If necessary)
