The Chicago Sky lost a second straight heartbreaker on Aug. 25, this time losing to the Las Vegas Aces 77-75 at Wintrust Arena on a last-second shot by the Aces’ A’ja Wilson.
Angel Reese recorded a career-high 22 rebounds, tying the Sky’s single game rebound record that Sylvia Fowles set in 2013. Reese finished two rebounds shy of the WNBA single-game record for total rebounds. (Chamique Holdsclaw had 24 on May 23, 2003.) It was Reese’s third straight game with 20 or more rebounds.
What is even more amazing is that, according to ESPN, no WNBA player had ever grabbed 20 rebounds in two consecutive games, much less three. The last player to do it in three straight in the NBA—whose games are eight minutes longer than WNBA games—was the Detroit Pistons’ Ben Wallace, in 2003. Before that, it was the legendary Wilt Chamberlain, who had multiple streaks in 1973 with the Los Angeles Lakers.
In her previous game, Reese had her second consecutive 20-rebound performance during an 82-80 loss to the Connecticut Sun on Aug. 23. She became the first rookie in NBA or WNBA history with consecutive 20-rebound games since Shaquille O’Neal did it in April 1993, according to ESPN.
Chennedy Carter led the Sky in scoring with 25 points, including a game-tying three-pointer with 1.1 seconds on the game clock.
It has been quite the season for WNBA rookies. The Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark recently broke the 26-year-old WNBA rookie season record of 224 assists that Ticha Penicheiro set in 1998, and the Fever has already matched its victory total from last season in getting its 13th win.
The Sky will next face the Washington Mystics at 7 p.m. CT at Wintrust Arena. The game will be available locally on Marquee Sports Network.
Red Stars fall
The Chicago Red Stars fell 3-1 at Racing Louisville FC on Aug. 24 to restart the National Women’s Soccer League regular season after taking a break for the Paris Olympics.
Rookie, Jameese Joseph scored the clubs only goal, assisted by Penelope Hocking. It was Hocking’s first assist in 2024. New Red Stars signee Julia Grosso marked her league debut with her start.
The Red Stars continue their road trip with a match against Angel City FC on Sunday, Sept. 1, in LA.