Friday Night Games
Laces 73 – 59 Phantom
The Laces had dropped to fifth place, and the last two regular-season games were crucial for their playoff chances. Kayla McBride performed strongly for the Laces, contributing 25 points, while Alyssa Thomas added 12 rebounds. The Phantom struggled throughout the game, reflecting the difficulties they faced all season, and by the second quarter, they were trailing by 14 points. The Phantom made a comeback in the third quarter, narrowing the margin to just two or three points. However, they could not maintain that momentum. Brittney Griner scored 13 points for the Phantom. This marked the 10th loss for the Phantom, with only one more game left to play.
Lunar Owls 66 – 56 Rose
The Lunar Owls are not putting down their guard anytime soon, boasting 12 wins and one loss, which secures their first-place position. This was a matchup between the top two teams in the league. The score was low, considering both teams faced tough defensive and offensive efforts. The Roses were determined to disrupt the Owls’ winning streak, but unfortunately, they fell short by 10 points. Angel Reese delivered for the Roses with 10 rebounds and 17 points, while Shakira Austin also led the Owls with 17 points. The game was so competitive that the lead changed frequently, with both teams going basket for basket and maintaining a minimum turnover rate. However, the Lunar Owls pulled ahead in the fourth quarter by eight points and built on this momentum to win the game.
Saturday Games
Laces 76 – 69 Mist
The Laces have secured their spot in the playoffs, becoming the third team to punch a ticket to the postseason. Jackie Young went all out for this game to record 27 points and Thomas once again did great with rebounding to record 12 rebounds. Thomas is the second player in the league with the highest number of rebounds per game behind Reese. She is averaging 11.5 rebounds per game. Her presence on the Laces squad has given the team a mileage, especially looking at her rebounding capabilities. The Laces led throughout the game and gave the Mist no chance to take the lead. The Mist are currently in fourth position but are tied with Vinyl at five wins and eight losses. Both Vinyl and Mist have one game left which will determine who will take the fourth position. The Mist will be faced with a huge hurdle, Lunar Owls, who have proven difficult to beat. The Vinyl won’t have it easy either way, as they will be faced with the Rose, who are seeking to maintain their second-place seeding for the playoffs.
Phantom 80 – 74 Vinyl
Phantom wasn’t ready to bow out with the longest losing streak in the inaugural Unrivaled League. The team came out eager to secure a win on the road. Marina Mabrey scored 26 points, and Griner added 18 points. It was a great day for Rhyne Howard, who recorded a double-double with 37 points and 12 rebounds, but that wasn’t enough to overcome the determined Phantoms. Right from the start, the Phantoms led the game, something the team hadn’t done for the entirety of the season. They maintained that lead throughout the game. In the fourth quarter, Vinyl was down by three points at one moment, but the Phantoms were determined to exit with a win. They pressed on, and Marina made a three-pointer to seal the victory for the Phantoms.
Last Game Night of the Regular Season
Monday, March 10
Lunar Owls vs. Mist
Vinyl vs. Rose
Table Standing
1. Lunar Owls (clinched playoffs as the first seed)
2. Rose (clinched playoffs but needs a win to secure the second seed)
3. Laces (clinched finals and could potentially rise to second place if the Rose don’t win)
4. Mist (in a tough position, tied with Vinyl. Facing a must-win game)
5. Vinyl (also in a tough position, needing to significantly outscore the Rose to improve their margin and potentially displace Mist from fourth place)
6. Phantom (first team eliminated)
