After a day off for Super Bowl Sunday, Unrivaled resumes Week 5 action on Monday night.
And the evening’s second matchup, with Rose meeting Mist, reminds how quickly things can change on the court at Sephora Arena (8:45 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV).
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This time last week, Mist, then winners of three-straight games, was entering a first-place showdown with Laces. They fell short before losing to Phantom on Saturday, putting the Misties at risk of three-game skid that sends them sliding into the middle of the standings.
Rose, in contrast, was on the rocks, having just lost two-straight games. They came out with a vengeance on Saturday night, running away from Vinyl for much of the game before hanging on for the victory. Rather than falling below .500, Rose can threaten for third place with a second-straight win.
Rose, however, had to work hard for that win, with head coach Nola Henry almost exclusively relying on the club’s Big 3 of Chelsea Gray, Kahleah Copper and Shakira Austin.
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The three combined for all but two of Rose’s 74 points on Saturday. Down Azurá Stevens due to injury and Sug Sutton because of illness, Henry and the Rosebuds didn’t have much of choice, and it certainly makes sense to trust in brilliance of Gray, shotmaking of Copper and interior dominance of Austin. Still, Rose clearly tired down the stretch, with their defense flagging and shots falling short as they staggered toward the winning score.
Last time Rose played Mist, it was the Gray-Copper-Austin trio that, again, did almost everything in what became an 89-71 loss. The three scored 67 of Rose’s 71 points, led by 29 points and 10 boards from Austin.
Mist, in contrast, continues to believes in their depth, with head coach Zach O’Brien insisting that any of his six players can provide the contributions needed to deliver a victory. Of course, the surest path to a losing streak-snapping win is more Breanna Stewart. Stewie poured in 28 points on Saturday, her Unrivaled high. She just needed more scoring support, as Allisha Gray had an off night and Arike Ogunbowale was quieter than usual.
As Saturday’s loss was their worst 3-point shooting night of the season, Mist has to hope that their 3-point shooting sees positive regression.
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With a return to form from Gray or Ogunbowale, Mist should rediscover the high-scoring offense that spurred their three-game winning streak. In their late January win over Rose, both Lish and Arike were on-point, with Gray scoring 28 points and Ogunbowale netting 21 points.
Phantom goes for four in a row against Vinyl
Vinyl also is experiencing the rapid momentum swings of Unrivaled.
Last Monday, they won their second-straight game, following up their victory over league-best Laces by outlasting Hive. On Saturday, the squad found themselves down by as many as 24 points, requiring a fourth-quarter outburst from Dearica Hamby and Erica Wheeler to earn a more respectable final score in their loss to Rose.
Vinyl clings to the final playoff spot—for now. To solidify their position, they could use a Rhyne Howard heater. She’s scored 10 points in Vinyl’s last three games, shooting no better than 36 percent from the field and making just two of her 20 3-point attempts. Vinyl’s first game against Phantom, a 78-69 loss, was her last 20-point game, which included a 3-for-6 effort from 3.
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Vinyl needs that, and more, from Howard when they take on the the Ghost Gang (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV).
Winners of three-straight games, Phantom should feel a bit anxious entering Monday night’s game, as the recent histories of the three other teams in action serve as warnings of how hard it is to sustain success and stack wins in Unrivaled. The Ghost Gang has to take the court with the requisite intensity and focus to keep their good thing going.
In their previous win over Vinyl, all members of Phantom scored in double digits, an effort exemplary of the balance of this club. Aliyah Boston led with a 21-point and 11-rebound double-double, with Kelsey Plum adding 18 points.
They also support their egalitarian offense with the second-best scoring defense in the league, holding opponents to under 67 points per game and less than one point per shot attempt.
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Yes, things can change fast, but Phantom is fast proving that they might be the best team in Unrivaled.