Deadspin | Balanced scoring, late free throw help Fire beat Wings, snap skid

Bridget Carleton scored 20 factors to guide 5 starters in double figures, Emily Engstler made a tie-breaking free throw with 1.7 seconds left and the host Portland Fire defeated the Dallas Wings 84-83 on Saturday evening.

Megan Gustafson scored 16, Engstler added 11, Carla Leite had 10 factors and eight assists and Sarah Ashlee Barker scored 10 for the Fire (7-8, 1-4 Commissioner’s Cup), who ended a four-game dropping streak.

Arike Ogunbowale scored 22 factors, Azzi Fudd had 18, Aziaha James scored 17 and Jessica Shepard added 13 factors and 14 rebounds for the the Wings (8-5, 3-2), who had gained 5 of their final six however performed with out main scorer Paige Bueckers (proper ankle).

Luisa Geiselsoder scored 4 straight factors to present the Fire a 57-52 lead late within the third quarter. James made two baskets to help Dallas pull even at 57. Her jumper produced a one-point lead earlier than Carleton beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer that despatched Portland into the fourth quarter with a 63-61 lead.

Engstler made a layup to start out the fourth-quarter scoring, however Ogunbowale scored 5 factors and Shepard made a layup to help the Wings pull even at 68. The rating was tied once more at 71, 73 and 76.

Ogunbowale and Fudd made consecutive baskets to present Dallas an 80-76 lead, however Carleton trimmed the result in one with a 3-pointer. Gustafson’s layup put Portland forward 81-80 with 22.5 seconds left.

Fudd transformed a three-point play, however Leite’s layup tied the rating at 83 with 11.6 seconds left. James missed a jumper and Engstler made one in every of two free throws earlier than Ogunbowale missed a 3-pointer on the buzzer.

Fudd scored 5 straight factors to present the Wings their first lead at 8-6. The rating was tied at 9 and the lead modified palms 4 instances within the first quarter, the final of which left the Fire with a 14-13 lead after 10 minutes.

Ogunbowale’s 3-pointer gave Dallas a two-point lead earlier than Carleton had 3-pointers to start out and finish a 10-0 run that gave Portland a 26-18 lead. Ogunbowale made two free throws and Shepard added a layup to get the Wings inside 4.

Leite answered with a 3-pointer and the lead grew to 10 earlier than Dallas scored 5 straight factors. After Leite and Fudd exchanged 3-pointers, Gustafson made a layup to push the Fire’s result in 44-37 at halftime.

–Area Stage Media