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Posts tagged as “Rhyne Howard”

Turnover Troubles and Third-Quarter Collapse Cost Fever Against Atlanta (113 – 96)

June 21, 2026

The game started as a high-octane offensive shootout, with the Indiana Fever putting together a historic first half. Driven by Caitlin Clark’s hot hand early, Indiana opened the game shooting a perfect 8-for-8, racking up 37 points in the opening frame—the third-most in a single quarter in franchise history. Backed by Kelsey Mitchell’s 16 first-half points, the Fever held a narrow 59-56 lead at intermission.

Then came the third quarter, and everything went wrong for Indiana. Heavy whistle trouble combined with a wave of sloppy play completely sapped the Fever’s offensive rhythm. Indiana gave away the ball 19 times throughout the afternoon, with Clark committing seven of those turnovers herself. Atlanta capitalized on the mistakes immediately, suffocating the Fever with a 28-15 third-quarter surge to pull ahead 84-74.

By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the Dream comfortably enjoyed that 10-point cushion. Indiana had no answers left in the tank, allowing Atlanta’s lead to balloon to as much as 22 points before settling at a final 113-96 blowout victory.

Statistically, the Fever were led by Clark’s 26 points and 7 assists, while Mitchell finished with 16 points and Aliyah Boston chipped in 13 points and seven defensive rebounds, a milestone that pushed her past 800 career defensive boards. However, the afternoon belonged to Atlanta. Rhyne Howard paced the Dream with 24 points, while Jordin Canada orchestrated the offense beautifully with 12 points and 12 assists, scoring eight critical points in the defining third quarter without committing a single turnover. Angel Reese also entered the history books during the contest, scoring 18 points and grabbing eight rebounds to become the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 1,000 career rebounds, achieving the feat in just 79 games. Backed by massive bench performances from Allisha Gray with 22 points and Naz Hillmon with 19, Atlanta coasted to a franchise-record 113 points.

Game highlights;

Next Up:
Indiana Fever will head back home to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to kick off a three-game homestand on Monday, June 22nd, against the Phoenix Mercury. The Atlanta Dream will stay at State Farm Arena to host the Toronto Tempo on Monday, June 22nd.

Dream’s Angel Reese Clinches Rare Win Over Caitlin Clark Despite Big 3 Outburst and ‘Caitlin 1’ Debut (108 -101)

June 19, 2026

The rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese added a thrilling new chapter during a high-stakes showdown between the Indiana Fever and the Atlanta Dream. In a dramatic, high-scoring battle, the Dream walked away with a tight 108-101 victory. For Reese—who joined Atlanta earlier in the 2026 season—this marked a rare and massive head-to-head victory over Clark, breaking a dominant stretch of head-to-head wins by the Fever guard.

Despite the loss, Indiana’s “Big 3” put on an absolute clinic. With Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell firing on all cylinders, the Fever stayed highly competitive throughout the entire game, proving why they are one of the most dangerous trios in the league. Together, the three stars accounted for 75 of Indiana’s 101 total points. Clark led the way with 26 points, 7 assists, and 2 rebounds, while Mitchell matched her with 26 points of her own. Meanwhile, Boston anchored the paint, stuffing the stat sheet with 23 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks.

However, the Atlanta Dream countered with an elite, balanced attack where all five starters scored in double digits. The charge was led by Reese, who anchored the paint with 21 points and 11 rebounds on 8-of-14 shooting to secure her 10th double-double of the season. Alongside her, Jordin Canada orchestrated the offense seamlessly to push the pace, finishing with 18 points. Rhyne Howard provided the crucial backcourt execution to close out the fourth quarter, delivering 16 points and 6 assists while hitting critical, back-to-back buckets late to stifle the Fever’s comeback.

Adding to the historic and play-off athmosphere of the night, the game served as the official on-court debut of Clark’s highly anticipated first signature sneaker, the Nike Caitlin 1. While the Dream spoiled the Clark’s sneaker maiden voyage, the combination of elite hoops, a rare Reese victory, and fresh sneaker history made this an unforgettable night for women’s basketball.

Game Highlights;

Both team will face again this Saturday afternoon in State Farm Arena.

U.S. Women’s National Team remains undefeated as it overpowers New Zealand in 2026 FIBA World Cup Qualifier(101 -46)

March 16, 2026

The USA Women’s National Team stayed undefeated in the 2026 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers after a commanding win over New Zealand in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The victory keeps the U.S. at the top of Group A as they prepare for the World Cup in Berlin this September.

The Americans took control early with a fast-paced offense. Star guards Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers led the scoring, while Angel Reese controlled the boards with dominant rebounding. New Zealand’s Ella Toefaeono and Bec Pizzey played hard in the paint, but they couldn’t overcome the United States’ aggressive defensive pressure.

Coach Kara Lawson relied on her entire roster, showing that the U.S. bench is just as strong as the starters. Although the U.S. had already earned a spot in the World Cup by winning Olympic gold in 2024, this game proved their younger players are ready for the international stage. For New Zealand, the matchup provided valuable experience against the world’s best team.

U.S. Women’s National Team will face Spain on the 17th March, for their final game for the qualifier, while New Zealand will look to bounce back against the Puerto Ricans.

Indiana Fever routs Atlanta Dream to Even the Series (77 – 60)

September 17, 2025

The Indiana Fever once again rose to the occasion, evening the series against the Atlanta Dream (77-60) and forcing a winner-take-all Game 3 back in Atlanta.

It was a relatively close game in the first half, where the Fever’s largest lead was only 11 points. Atlanta even closed the half with a 10-to-5 run to cut the lead to just six points (35-29). In the third quarter, the Dream was able to cut the lead to just three points (40-37) with a bounce pass from Rhyne Howard and an easy two points by Naz Hillmon. But Indiana ended the quarter with a 19-to-7 run (59-44) and never looked back.

Kelsey Mitchell lead the team with 19 points, compared to Game 1, both Aliyah Boston and Natasha Howard had a great game, scoring 15 points and 12 points, respectively. But was also a full team effort for the Fever where everyone who played scored. Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard was a no show for the Dream and only two players scored in double-digits.

The series will not shift back to Atlanta with the pressure on the Dream to close the game at home. Game 3 of the 2025 WNBA First Round of the Playoff will be this Thursday at Gateway Center, Atlanta.

Game Highlights

Dream Take Game 1 from Fever in Playoff Opener

September 15, 2025

Atlanta Dream takes Game 1 against the Indiana Fever of the 1st Round of WNBA Playoff. The team was lead by Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard, scoring 20 apiece. Gray added 6 rebounds and 4 assists, while Howard grabbed 6 more rebounds.

It was a close game in the first 3 quarter, where neither team’s largest lead is only 7-points, and entering the 4th quarter Dream’s lead was just 5-points but Atlanta went on a 14-to-6 run and the team never look back.

Kelsey Mitchell lead the Fever with 27 points while Odyssey Sims added 10 points. Aliyah Boston who got into foul trouble and needed to sit at the start of the 4th quarter added 8 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists.

Game Highlights

Game 2 will be in Indiana and it will the home crowd should be able to provide the energy that the team needs to even the series.