The Dallas Wings hope to sustain its winning momentum when it hosts the powerhouse Connecticut Sun on Friday, August 16, 2024, at the ruckus College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
(Photo by Chris Marion/NBAE via Getty Images)
Dallas heads into this game in high spirits following a 101-93 comeback win over the Indiana Fever before the break. Down 82-76 with 7:03 to go, the Wings uncorked a deafening 25-11 bomb to beat the Fever and spoil Caitlin Clark’s record-breaking performance.
All-Star guard Arike Ogunbowale and Odyssey Sims scored 24 points apiece for the Wings which snapped a three-game losing skid.
Up next for them is the new-look Connecticut team, which acquired sharpshooter Marina Mabrey from the Chicago Sky just before the break.
- The 27-year old Mabrey, who has season norms of 14.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in 23 games with the Sky, is expected to provide offensive depth for the Sun, which currently sits in the middle of the pack as far as scoring is concerned.
- Connecticut leads the season series 2-0 after escaping Dallas 74-72 earlier in the season and beating them again last June 85-67.
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However, they are coming off a heartbreaking 82-74 loss to the New York Liberty where they shot a dismal 11.1% from three, making this game more interesting than usual. As of press time, here’s how the current Dallas Wings vs Connecticut Sun betting lines stand.
Dallas Wings
vs
Connecticut Sun
WNBA
Odds for
August 16
Moneyline
- Dallas Wings: +180
- Connecticut Sun: -220
Spread
- Dallas Wings: +5 (-110)
- Connecticut Sun: -5 (-110)
Over/Under (Total)
- OVER 160.5 (-110)
- UNDER 160.5 (-110)
Dallas Wings
vs
Connecticut Sun
Injury Report
Dallas Wings Injury Report
- Maddy Siegrist – Left Index Finger – Day-to-Day
Connecticut Sun Injury Report
- No Injuries
Best Odds for
Dallas Wings
vs
Connecticut Sun
- The Dallas Wings have covered the spread once against the Connecticut Sun this season. The best Dallas Wings odds for a repeat performance are available on Bet365 at -110
- The Connecticut Sun beat the Dallas Wings by 18 in their last encounter. Bet365 offers the Sun to cover the -5 spread at -110.
- The Dallas Wings and the Connecticut Sun have hit the over in three of their last five encounters. FanDuel offers the best price for over 160.5 at -110.
Why will the
Dallas Wings
cover the spread?
Just by looking at the standings, one would assume there is nothing to be optimistic about the Dallas Wings this season. They currently sport an embarrassing 6-19 (win-loss) record, which is tied with the Washington Mystics for the worst in the league.
- However, when you look beyond the surface, there are plenty of things to love about the Wings but perhaps what stands out is their uncanny ability to put the ball in the basket.
Despite their current record, the Wings are among the best teams in the league as far as scoring and shooting percentage are concerned. The same cannot be said for the Connecticut Sun, which currently ranks in the middle in both of those categories.
With the Sun still trying to fit new acquisition Marina Mabrey into their lineup, Dallas is in a prime position to pounce and maybe pull off a shocker.
Of course, for the Wings to do so, they will need do-it-all guard Arike Ogunbowale to get going.
- The 27-year old scoring dynamo was only limited to 11 points on 2-for-15 shooting in their last encounter with Connecticut.
- This was a far-cry from Ogunbowale’s stellar performance in their first matchup with the Sun this season where the All-Star guard exploded for 21 points to help Dallas cover the +7.5 spread.
Another good news for the Wings in this matchup is the absence of guard Rachel Banham. The 31-year old Banham, who unloaded 16 points to lead Connecticut when these last two teams faced, was traded to the Chicago Sky last month as part of the Mabrey deal.
- With the Sun still in adjustment period and the Wings high in confidence, backing the home team to cover the +5 spread at these current odds is something punters may consider.
Why will the
Connecticut Sun
cover the spread?
The Connecticut Sun may just have pulled off the heist of the season when it traded for sweet shooting guard Marina Mabrey. Known for her ability to score in bunches, Mabrey provides the Sun a much-needed offensive boost.
- With Connecticut taking on an offensive-minded Dallas Wings squad next, the acquisition of Mabrey just comes at the perfect time as they look to bounce back from their loss against the New York Liberty.
In their game against the Liberty, the Sun was bleeding for points and even found themselves down by 10 at one point. But with Mabrey in tow, Connecticut now has enough firepower to carry the offensive load, especially when their top players are struggling.
A case in point was the game versus New York where Connecticut only got eight points from leading scorer DeWanna Bonner.
Besides the offensive boost, another positive thing that Connecticut may dwell on heading into this game is Dallas’ inability to take care of the ball.
- The Wings currently lead the league in most turnovers at 15.4 per game. Should the Sun be able to tighten its defensive screws and continue to pressure the Wings’ offense, backing Connecticut to win comfortably is something worth considering.
Furthermore, Connecticut has beaten Dallas in four of their six previous encounters. Plus, the Sun’s last victory against the Wings was in Dallas and it was pretty convincing.
While past results do not tell future outcomes, especially with how the season has played out so far, some punters might see good value in the Connecticut spread.
Final
Dallas Wings
vs
Connecticut Sun
Prediction: Over 160.5 (-110)
Even though I am over the moon right now following the Connecticut Sun’s acquisition of Marina Mabrey, I am having second thoughts on backing them to cover the spread in this game.
- A significant reason for it was the impressive performance of the Dallas Wings in their win against the Indiana Fever.
The thing I’ve noticed with the Wings this season is they have always stepped up when people least expect it. A testament to that was their upset win against the Minnesota Lynx earlier this season where they came in as 10.5 underdogs across most bookmakers.
That said, I am leaning towards the over 160.5 at -110 in this game. With the Wings being one of the offensive teams in the league and the Sun recently acquiring Mabrey, I expect this game to be a high-scoring affair.
- It is also worth noting that the over hit in three of their five previous encounters.
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