Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese breaks league single-season rebounding record and more from around the WNBA
By George Ramsay and Homero De la Fuente, CNN
(CNN) — Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese broke the WNBA’s single-season record for rebounds, notching her 418th in a 79-74 defeat against the Minnesota Lynx.
Prior to Sunday’s game, Reese needed six rebounds to take the record from former Sky player Sylvia Fowles, who retired in 2022. She ended the night with 19 to go along with 17 points, giving her a 24th double-double on the season.
But the Sky’s struggles since the Olympic break continued despite Reese’s strong stat line, dropping to a sixth straight defeat and 11-21 on the season.
“Offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds is something that I know I can always do,” the former LSU star told reporters after the game. “I knew it was going to translate (to the WNBA) right away and that’s something that a lot of players don’t want to do.
“Defense and rebounding win championships, and I’ve won championships at every level by just doing that,” she added.
The 22-year-old Reese also broke the single-season record for offensive rebounds with 165, while she has already become the fastest player in WNBA history to record 20 double-doubles and racked up the most consecutive double-doubles (15) in league history.
The loss is another blow for Chicago, currently eighth in the standings, as the team bids to make the playoffs.
“Obviously, it’s tough – this is the most losing I’ve ever done in my life,” said Reese. “Just being able to stay mentally positive through this. That’s the bright light of it, we still are in the playoffs … I’m just looking forward to the next game and ways to get better and learn from this one.”
Courtney Williams led the way for the Lynx with 22 points, 10 of those coming in the fourth quarter, while Kayla McBride added 17 points.
Minnesota is 8-1 since the Olympic break, the best in the league despite a 94-76 defeat against the Dallas Wings on Friday.
Caitlin Clark and the Fever keep on rolling
Elsewhere in the WNBA, Caitlin Clark netted 28 points in the Indiana Fever’s 100-93 win over the Wings despite Arike Ogunbowale nailing a record-tying nine three-pointers.
Rookie of the Year candidate Clark added 12 assists and the Fever improved to above .500 for the first time this season with a 17-16 record. Clark also passed Tamika Catchings to set the franchise rookie record for points in a season.
“It’s obviously cool,” Clark told reporters when asked about breaking Catchings’ record, “but at the same time, I feel like we play basketball the right way and that’s what comes along with it.
“It’s fun, we’ve been winning, that’s what makes all of this so much better. I feel like we’re just playing such better basketball than we were even a month ago before the break. It just feels like our chemistry’s better, it just feels like everything flows a bit better.”
A’ja Wilson and the Aces turn it up
Meanwhile, Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson continued her incredible form with a monster 41-point game as the back-to-back champions downed the Phoenix Mercury 97-79.
Wilson also had 17 rebounds against the Mercury, joining Candace Parker as the only players in WNBA history to have a 40-15 game. It was the second time in three games that the center has had a 40-point game after scoring 42 in a Tuesday defeat against the Wings.
WNBA results from Sunday, September 1
Winners in bold
Seattle Storm 86-93 Connecticut Sun
Chicago Sky 74-79 Minnesota Lynx
Indiana Fever 100-93 Dallas Wings
Las Vegas Aces 97-79 Phoenix Mercury
Atlanta Dream 80-62 Los Angeles Sparks
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