By KACE KIESCHNICK, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
After losing two in a row to face a must-win Game 6 of the WNBA Finals, ex-LSU standout Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream responded in a big way. The Dream beat the Golden State Valkyries 80-69 in Atlanta on Thursday to even the series 3-3 and force a winner-take-all Game 7.
After three straight double-doubles to open the series, Reese scored just 15 combined points in the two-game skid. She still struggled to be efficient from the floor in Thursday’s win, but she scored 15 points to go with 14 rebounds, six assists, one steal and one block. She also had six turnovers.
Reese made just five of her team-high 18 shots and was 3-of-5 on free throws and 2-of-8 from three-point range. It is easily the most shots she has taken from beyond the arc in a game during her WNBA career, passing the five she took against the Seattle Storm on July 31. Atlanta is 16-0 when Reese knocks down a three-pointer this season.
The Dream jumped out to a big lead early, putting up 32 points in the first quarter – nearly two-thirds of the 55 points they finished Game 5 with. Reese was 1-of-4 from the field in the quarter, including two missed three-pointers and 2-of-3 from the free throw line for four points. She corralled four rebounds and had four assists. Atlanta held a 46-26 lead by halftime and cruised to victory in the second half despite the Valkyries’ effort to cut the lead in half.
The series will return to the Chase Center in San Francisco on Saturday. Game 7 is set to tip off at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on the USA Network and streamed on Peacock.
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