No. 10 SMU Survives LSU in Five-Set Season Opener

The Portland Fire needed nearly every point of the lead they built Friday night. Behind a career performance from Holly Winterburn , Portland survived a furious Seattle comeback to defeat the Seattle Storm 84-82 , completing a four-game season sweep of its Pacific Northwest rival. Winterburn scored a career-high 20 points off the bench, while Bridget Carleton, Carla Leite and Megan DiLeo each added 14 as Portland improved to 14-20 . The Fire once held a 16-point second-half advantage and appeared positioned for a comfortable finish. Instead, turnovers, missed opportunities and Seattle's late defensive pressure turned the closing minutes into a battle that was not decided until the Storm's potential game-winning shot failed to fall at the buzzer. Portland escaped with the victory. But the way the Fire built their advantage—and nearly surrendered it—made this much more than a routine win. Holly Winterburn Changes the Game Off the Bench Winterburn entered Friday with only 49 career WNBA points . She nearly scored half that total in one night. The guard came off the bench midway through the first quarter and immediately changed Portland's offense. With the Fire holding a narrow 10-9 advantage, Winterburn attacked the basket, created opportunities in transition and provided an unexpected scoring burst. She scored 16 points during the first quarter alone , matching Seattle's entire team total for the period. The video recap included in the supplied material shows Winterburn beginning the game 6-for-6 from the field , including a steal and finish followed later by an and-one opportunity. By halftime, she had scored 18. Winterburn eventually finished with 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals in approximately 21 minutes , shooting 8-for-14 from the field. For a player only recently beginning to establish herself within Portland's regular rotation, it was a breakthrough performance. Portland Builds a Double-Digit Halftime Lead Winterburn's early explosion allowed Portland to establish control. The Fire led 48-36 at halftime , combining Winterburn's scoring with perimeter production from Carleton and contributions throughout the rotation. Carleton finished with 14 points and nine rebounds , narrowly missing a double-double. Leite and DiLeo also scored 14 points apiece , giving Portland four players with at least 14 points. The balanced production helped the Fire build their advantage even after Winterburn's scoring slowed following her spectacular opening quarter. At one point during the second half, Portland's lead reached 16 points . The game appeared to be moving toward another Fire victory over Seattle. Then the Storm began fighting back. Seattle Turns Portland's Mistakes Into a Comeback Portland's biggest problem was not simply missed shots. It was giving Seattle additional opportunities. The Fire committed 15 turnovers , and the Storm converted those mistakes into 28 points . Seattle committed 12 turnovers of its own, but Portland managed only 12 points from them. That 16-point difference in points off turnovers became critical. Seattle shot only 33.3% from the field , according to the supplied coverage, yet remained close enough to threaten Portland because the Storm repeatedly generated easier opportunities after Fire mistakes. Seattle used a 9-0 run during the third quarter to begin seriously reducing the deficit. The Storm entered the fourth trailing 62-54 . Portland still controlled the scoreboard. It no longer controlled the momentum. Awa Fam Provides a Major Spark for Seattle Rookie Awa Fam became one of the biggest reasons Seattle stayed alive. Fam scored a team-high 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds off the bench , delivering one of the strongest performances of her young career. Her fourth-quarter three-pointer helped reduce Portland's advantage as Seattle continued applying pressure. Ezi Magbegor added 13 points , while Jordan Horston recorded 12 points and 11 rebounds . Jade Melbourne also scored 12. Seattle's bench energy and defensive pressure transformed what had looked like a comfortable Portland victory into another close finish between the regional rivals. Portland's Offense Goes Cold at the Worst Time Karlie Samuelson connected on Portland's 12th three-pointer with 5:20 remaining , giving the Fire a 79-66 advantage . That should have provided Portland with enough separation to close the game comfortably. Instead, the Fire stopped making shots. Portland did not record another field goal until Emily Engstler converted a driving layup with 2:07 remaining , pushing the score to 82-75. Seattle took advantage of the drought. The Storm produced another major fourth-quarter run and continued cutting into a lead that had once appeared secure. The Fire were suddenly trying to survive rather than pulling away. Dominique Malonga Struggles but Still Impacts the Finish Seattle's leading scorer, Dominique Malonga , endured an unusually difficult shooting night. Malonga entered the game averaging 17.4 points but finished with nine points on 3-for-15 shooting . She still found other ways to contribute. Malonga grabbed 12 rebounds , and one of those boards became crucial during Seattle's final comeback attempt. After Fam missed a late three-pointer, Malonga secured the rebound and found Natisha Hiedeman , who connected from beyond the arc with 6.2 seconds remaining . Suddenly, Portland's advantage had been reduced to 83-82 . The game that once featured a 16-point Fire lead was down to a single point. Missed Free Throws Give Seattle One Final Chance Portland had an opportunity to eliminate the drama from the free-throw line. Leite entered the game as an 89% free-throw shooter , but she went only 2-for-4 from the line during the final 15 seconds . Those misses kept Seattle alive. After Hiedeman's late three, Portland added another point at the line to establish the final 84-82 margin. Seattle still had one final possession. The Storm got the ball to Hiedeman for a potential game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer. Her attempt struck the backboard and missed. Portland had survived. Fire Complete a Four-Game Sweep of Seattle The victory gave Portland something significant beyond another entry in the win column. The Fire completed a 4-0 season sweep of Seattle . For two franchises positioned to develop a natural Pacific Northwest rivalry, controlling the inaugural season series gives Portland early bragging rights. The games have also demonstrated how competitive that rivalry can become. Friday's matchup came down to the final shot despite Portland holding double-digit advantages during multiple stretches. Seattle never stopped challenging. Portland never completely put the Storm away. Winning Ugly Still Counts The Fire can celebrate the result without ignoring what nearly went wrong. Portland committed 15 turnovers. Those mistakes became 28 Seattle points. The Fire struggled to score during the closing minutes and missed free throws that could have ended the game earlier. A 13-point advantage with just over five minutes remaining became a one-point game with seconds left. Those are issues Portland will want to address. But developing teams also need to learn how to survive nights when execution becomes imperfect. The Fire did that Friday. A Breakthrough Night for Holly Winterburn The final score was Portland 84, Seattle 82 , but Winterburn's performance may carry significance beyond one victory. She entered with limited WNBA scoring experience and produced 16 first-quarter points almost immediately after checking into the game. She finished with career highs while contributing as a scorer, rebounder, facilitator and defender. That type of unexpected production can change a rotation. Portland will next travel to face Phoenix, while Seattle remains home to play Chicago. The Fire will undoubtedly want a cleaner finish in their next close game. For Friday night, however, they had enough. Winterburn supplied the early explosion. Portland built the lead. Seattle produced the comeback.  And when the final shot came off the backboard, the Fire walked away with an 84-82 victory and a four-game season sweep of the Storm.

The Indiana Fever needed their stars to deliver in a game with postseason implications, and Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell answered the call.  Indiana defeated the Dallas Wings 98-87 Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, overcoming a three-point deficit entering the fourth quarter with a decisive closing performance. Clark finished with 29 points and 10 assists , Boston produced another double-double, and Mitchell extended her record-setting scoring streak as the Fever earned their 22nd victory of the season . The win was Indiana's eighth in its last 10 games and moved the Fever ahead of Atlanta for the No. 4 position in the postseason race at the time of the game. More importantly, Indiana showed once again that it can respond when a close game demands its best basketball late. Dallas Wings Challenge Indiana Early The Fever opened with a narrow 17-15 first-quarter advantage , but Dallas refused to allow Indiana to establish early control. '' Paige Bueckers and the Wings increased the pressure during the second quarter, eventually carrying a two-point advantage into halftime. Indiana received seven second-quarter points from Clark, but Dallas remained effective enough offensively to take the lead into the break. The game remained close after halftime. Instead of one team creating separation, the third quarter developed into a showcase between two of the league's premier guards. Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers Trade Baskets Clark and Bueckers became the center of attention during a highly competitive third quarter. Bueckers repeatedly answered Indiana's scoring while Clark produced her most explosive stretch of the game. The Fever star scored 16 points in the third quarter according to the AP account , while Indiana's own postgame notes credit her with 17 in the period. Both sources agree that her third-quarter scoring was central to keeping the Fever within striking distance. Dallas still entered the fourth quarter ahead 66-63 . Bueckers eventually finished with 29 points, six rebounds and six assists , leading a Wings offense that also received 20 points from Arike Ogunbowale. For three quarters, Dallas had an answer. The fourth was different. Indiana Takes Control in the Fourth Quarter The Fever completely changed the game to begin the final period. Indiana opened the fourth with a 15-2 run , transforming a three-point deficit into a 78-68 advantage . Clark capped the surge with a three-pointer as the Fever suddenly went from chasing Dallas to controlling the game. The Wings attempted one more response and reduced the deficit to five. Indiana answered again. The Fever scored four consecutive points to rebuild their advantage to 82-73 with 4:37 remaining , and Dallas nev er recovered. The sequence demonstrated the difference between playing well for stretches and finishing a game. Indiana finished. Aliyah Boston Takes Over Inside Clark provided the third-quarter scoring explosion, but Aliyah Boston became one of Indiana's biggest difference-makers during the fourth. Boston scored 10 of her 16 points in the final period while controlling the interior as Indiana pulled away. She also finished with a double-double, with the supplied sources crediting her with at least 10 rebounds. The performance gave Boston her 51st career double-double and 10th of the season according to Indiana's postgame notes. Her fourth-quarter production gave the Fever exactly what they needed. Dallas had spent much of the night dealing with Clark and Mitchell on the perimeter. Once Boston began consistently producing inside, the Wings had another problem to solve. They never found the answer. Caitlin Clark Reaches 700 Career Assists Clark's 29-point performance came with another collection of significant milestones. Her 10 assists pushed her to 700 for her career , and according to Indiana's postgame notes, she became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach that total, accomplishing it in her 83rd career game . Clark also recorded her 20th career game with at least 20 points and 10 assists , which the supplied sources identify as the most in league history. The performance marked her third consecutive game with at least 20 points and 10 assists, tying the league record for the longest such streak. Her 29 points also moved her past Candice Dupree into ninth place on the Fever's career scoring list , according to Indiana's game notes. Those milestones added historical significance to a performance Indiana needed in the standings. Kelsey Mitchell Extends Her Historic Scoring Streak Kelsey Mitchell continued one of the most consistent scoring runs in WNBA history. Mitchell finished with 23 points , giving her 18 consecutive games with at least 20 points . That extended her WNBA single-season record and moved her within two games of A'ja Wilson's overall league record of 20 consecutive 20-point performances. It was also Mitchell's 26th 20-point game of the season and her 49th consecutive game scoring in double figures. The Fever no longer need Mitchell to dominate every possession to benefit from her scoring. Her consistency forces defenses to account for her throughout the game, creating additional space for Clark, Boston and Indiana's supporting players. Ty Harris Provides the Unexpected Spark One of Indiana's most important performances came from a player who had barely contributed offensively in recent games. Ty Harris entered Friday having gone six consecutive games without making a field goal. Against Dallas, she couldn't miss. Harris finished with 15 points by going 5-for-5 from three-point range , establishing a career high for made threes in a game. Indiana's postgame notes indicate she became only the fourth player in Fever history to have a perfect shooting night while making at least five three-pointers. Her shooting became particularly valuable late, helping Indiana prevent Dallas from mounting another comeback after the Fever had seized control. On a night dominated by established stars, Harris supplied the type of supporting performance that can determine important games. Fever Reach 22 Wins Indiana's victory improved the team to 22-12 and continued one of the strongest stretches of its season. The 22 victories also tied the second-highest single-season win total in Fever franchise history , matching the totals from 2009 and 2012. Indiana's franchise record is 24 wins, established in 2025. The Fever reached 22 victories with 10 regular-season games remaining according to the supplied postgame notes, putting another franchise benchmark within reach. But the standings remained the more immediate concern. Indiana's eighth victory in 10 games gave the Fever a half-game advantage over Atlanta for the No. 4 postseason position at the conclusion of Friday's game. Dallas Wings Lose Ground in the Playoff Race The loss was costly for Dallas. The Wings dropped seven of their previous 10 games and slipped into a tie with Washington for seventh place in the postseason race according to the supplied game recap. Bueckers' 29-point performance gave Dallas an opportunity to win. Ogunbowale's 20 points provided another proven scoring option. But the Wings could not withstand Indiana's fourth-quarter attack. When the Fever increased their defensive intensity and began receiving production from Clark, Boston and Harris simultaneously, Dallas lost control of a game it had led entering the final period. Indiana's Stars Deliver When the Game Matters Most The Fever's 98-87 victory over the Dallas Wings was ultimately defined by timing. Clark took control during the third quarter. Boston dominated stretches of the fourth. Mitchell continued her historic scoring consistency. Harris delivered five three-pointers without a miss. Together, those performances turned a 66-63 fourth-quarter deficit into an 11-point victory. That is the type of response Indiana will need as games become increasingly important. The Fever have already demonstrated that they possess elite individual talent. Friday provided another example of what happens when that talent produces at the same time. Indiana next travels to Atlanta, while Dallas returns home for its next matchup. For the Fever, the postseason race remains unfinished. But with 22 victories, eight wins in their last 10 games, and Clark, Boston and Mitchell producing at a high level, Indiana continues to strengthen its position at exactly the right time.

The Washington Mystics arrived in Las Vegas as one of the hottest teams in the WNBA. The Aces brought that run to an end. Behind 26 points and 13 rebounds from A'ja Wilson and 25 points and eight assists from Jackie Young , Las Vegas defeated Washington 86-76 Tuesday night, snapping the Mystics' seven-game winning streak. The Aces improved to 23-11 , while Washington fell to 19-13 after suffering its first loss since July 18. Washington continued to dominate several areas that had fueled its recent success, including rebounding and interior scoring. But Las Vegas remained composed, received major performances from its stars, and finally created meaningful separation during the fourth quarter. A'ja Wilson Delivers Another Dominant Performance Wilson once again demonstrated why she remains at the center of everything Las Vegas does. The Aces star finished with 26 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks , recording her 17th double-double of the season . Her combination of scoring, rebounding and rim protection gave Washington problems on both ends of the floor. Against a Mystics team that has consistently controlled the paint and the glass, Wilson's presence became especially important. Washington still won the overall rebounding battle, but Wilson ensured Las Vegas had an interior answer whenever the Mystics threatened to establish complete control. Jackie Young Gives the Mystics Another Problem Stopping Wilson was difficult enough. Washington also had to deal with Jackie Young . Young scored 25 points and distributed eight assists , giving Las Vegas another primary offensive creator alongside Wilson. Her performance also produced a significant career milestone. Young reached at least 4,000 career points and 1,000 assists in her 275th game , making her the seventh-fastest player in WNBA history to reach both marks. The combination of Wilson and Young accounted for 51 of Las Vegas' 86 points . That star production ultimately gave the Aces enough offense to withstand Washington's advantages elsewhere. Washington Continues to Control the Glass The final score does not fully reflect everything the Mystics did well. Washington outrebounded Las Vegas 41-30 , marking the Mystics' WNBA-leading 16th game with at least 40 rebounds this season . That advantage has become one of Washington's clearest identities. The Mystics also outscored Las Vegas 42-28 in the paint , continuing their ability to generate offense close to the basket. It was Washington's ninth consecutive game with at least 40 points in the paint . Even against one of the league's strongest teams, Washington did not abandon the approach that produced its seven-game winning streak. The difference was that Las Vegas found ways to overcome it. Shakira Austin's Strong Run Continues Shakira Austin remained Washington's most productive scorer. Austin finished with 20 points, eight rebounds, two steals and a block , extending one of the strongest stretches of her career. She has now recorded at least 15 points and five rebounds in 12 consecutive games , matching the longest single-season streak in Mystics franchise history. The performance came shortly after Austin was named the WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week, and her production against Las Vegas showed that her recent success has not been limited to favorable matchups. Even in defeat, Austin continued to give Washington reliable production inside. Kiki Iriafen Reaches Another Career Milestone Washington also received another double-double from Kiki Iriafen . Iriafen recorded 15 points and 13 rebounds , giving her 14 double-doubles this season and 30 for her career . At just 22 years old, Iriafen became only the second player in WNBA history to record 30 point-rebound double-doubles before turning 23 , according to Washington's game recap. Her rebounding was a major reason the Mystics maintained such a significant advantage on the glass. Alongside Austin, Iriafen continues to give Washington a young frontcourt capable of challenging established teams inside. Sonia Citron Adds 19 Points Sonia Citron provided another productive performance with 19 points and seven rebounds . It was Citron's ninth game of the season with at least 15 points and five rebounds , adding another strong outing to Washington's young core. Austin, Citron and Iriafen combined for 54 of Washington's 76 points . That production kept the Mystics competitive, but Las Vegas ultimately received more help around its leading scorers. Chelsea Gray added 12 points , while NaLyssa Smith finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Aces. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton Makes Her Mystics Debut The game also marked the Washington debut of Betnijah Laney-Hamilton . Laney-Hamilton scored six points in her first appearance for the Mystics. Her addition gives Washington another experienced option as the team prepares for the final portion of the regular season and a potential postseason run. One game is far too early to determine exactly how she will fit into the rotation, but her debut represented an important development for a Mystics team already playing some of its best basketball of the season. Las Vegas Creates Separation in the Fourth Quarter Washington remained within striking distance for much of the night. The Aces did not establish their first double-digit advantage until the fourth quarter. With 5:32 remaining , Smith converted a layup that pushed Las Vegas ahead 73-63 . That basket represented an important turning point. Washington had spent much of the game staying close through rebounding, interior scoring and production from its young core. Once Las Vegas created a double-digit cushion late, however, the Mystics could not generate the run necessary to erase it. The Aces protected their advantage and closed out the 10-point victory. Washington's Seven-Game Winning Streak Ends The loss ended an impressive stretch for the Mystics. Washington had not lost since July 18 against Golden State , winning seven consecutive games before arriving in Las Vegas. The streak helped establish the Mystics as one of the league's hottest teams and strengthened their position entering the final weeks of the regular season. Tuesday's loss does not erase that progress. Washington still outrebounded Las Vegas by 11 and scored 14 more points in the paint. Austin, Iriafen and Citron all delivered productive performances against a team sitting at 23-11. But the Aces demonstrated how difficult it is to defeat an experienced contender when its biggest stars perform at the same time. Mystics Get an Immediate Chance at Revenge Washington will not have to wait long for another opportunity. The Mystics and Aces are scheduled to meet again Thursday night in Las Vegas , giving Washington an immediate chance to respond. That rematch should provide another valuable test. The Mystics already know they can control the rebounding battle and score effectively inside against Las Vegas. The challenge will be finding a way to turn those advantages into enough points to overcome Wilson, Young and the rest of the Aces' experienced rotation. For Las Vegas, Tuesday's 86-76 victory demonstrated the value of star power and late-game execution. For Washington, the seven-game winning streak is over. But the performance also showed that the strengths behind that streak—rebounding, interior scoring and production from a rapidly developing young core—remain very much intact.

Dominique Malonga scored 26 points with 10 rebounds as the Seattle Storm defeated the Chicago Sky 97-88 to end an 11-game losing streak.

Rhyne Howard and Angel Reese made WNBA history as the Atlanta Dream defeated the Toronto Tempo 107-95 behind a balanced offensive attack.

Bridget Carleton scored 24 points as the Portland Fire defeated the Seattle Storm 100-93, completing a three-game season sweep of Seattle.

Kelsey Mitchell scored 27 points and set a WNBA record as Caitlin Clark added 26 points and 11 assists in the Fever's 90-86 win over Chicago.