Emotions Run High In Midweek WNBA Action
While some Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) teams are finding ways to keep their heads above water, fans saw emotions bubble over during midweek action.
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The Phoenix Mercury’s woes continued in a 73-70 loss to the Chicago Sky on Tuesday, during which Diana Taurasi was ejected in the second quarter.
The Dallas Wings came back against the LA Sparks, but Arike Obunbawale battled her emotions after missing a potentially game-tying free throw with less than a second left in regulation.
The Mercury were down 31-21 with three minutes and 43 seconds left in the half when Taurasi exchanged words with the referee after what she considered to be a no-call against Candace Parker.
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She didn’t back down after being issued a technical foul, which led to her quick ejection — her first since 2019.
“Her whole arm is scratched up and bleeding. Dee doesn’t get any technicals she doesn’t want, but that was a lot,” Phoenix head coach Vanessa Nygaard said.
“That was out of line. If she is physically bleeding, there’s blood dropping off of her, and it’s not a foul, and you expect her not to be upset, and she’s hit multiple times before, she’s officiated in a different way.”
The ejection seemed to galvanize the Mercury, who took the lead behind a 31-point third quarter.
Ultimately, they could not hold on in the fourth, falling to 2-7 on the season.
Meanwhile…
In Tuesday’s late-night West Coast capper, the Wings had climbed out of a 71-65 third-quarter deficit to give themselves a chance at forcing overtime.
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Ogunbowale had two free-throw attempts to tie the game with less than a second remaining in regulation, but she missed the first.
She then pump-faked her second shot to point out what she saw as a lane violation, resulting in a turnover. As she walked off the court, she kicked the video board in frustration and received a technical foul.
The Wings fell to 5-4, while the Sparks improved to 5-6.
Top competitors are always going to do whatever they can to win, and sometimes showing emotion can tie a team together.
As teams try to keep up with the league’s best, expect more dramatic moments across the WNBA.
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