Chicago Sky sensation Angel Reese made WNBA history on Friday night after becoming the first rookie to record back-to-back 20-rebound games.
Reese, 22, accomplished the iconic feat in Chicago’s 82-80 loss to the Connecticut Sun after grabbing exactly 20 rebounds at Mohegan Sun Arena.
He also provided three assists and 13 points despite Sky suffering their third loss in four games.
Incredibly, an NBA rookie hasn’t recorded back-to-back 20-rebound games in 31 years. The last time Reese’s teammate and LSU graduate Shaquille O’Neal did it was in 1993.
Reese became the first rookie with multiple 20-rebound games since Tina Charles in 2010. She has 21 double-doubles.
Chicago Sky’s 22-year-old rookie sensation Angel Reese made WNBA history on Friday night
Connecticut (21-7) led 45-35 at halftime, but Reese scored nine points and grabbed eight rebounds in the third as the Sky outscored the Sun 29-18 to take a one-point lead into the fourth.
That lead extended to 74-68, but Mabrey, playing against his former team, responded with a 3-pointer and a layup to cut the deficit to one point, 76-75, with 4:38 left.
Reese made two free throws to give Chicago (11-17) an 80-77 lead with 1:52 remaining.
Connecticut’s Tyasha Harris made two free throws with 1:01 left to pull the Sun within a point before DiJonai Carrington was called for a blocking foul. A foul by Connecticut coach Stephanie White negated the call and the Sky’s Chennedy Carter was called for an offensive foul.
Reese became the first rookie with multiple 20-rebound games since Tina Charles in 2010.
On the next possession, Bonner was fouled in the lane (Chicago coach Teresa Weatherspoon challenged her, but the call stood) and made 1 of 2 free throws to tie the score at 80-80.
Chicago’s Lindsay Allen missed a midrange jumper with 15 seconds left and Bonner grabbed the rebound before Thomas hit the winning free throws.
Mabrey, in her fourth game with Connecticut after being acquired from the Sky on July 17, led all scorers by shooting 9 of 13 from the field and 5 of 7 from 3-point range. Bonner added 15 points, while Thomas and Brionna Jones each finished with 12.
Bonner grabbed eight rebounds and became the 10th player in WNBA history with at least 3,000 career rebounds (3,003). She is just 10 rebounds behind Taj McWilliams-Franklin (3,013) for ninth all-time.
Carter led Chicago with 19 points, Kamilla Cardoso added a career-high 18 and Lindsay Allen had 14. Connecticut scored 27 points off 19 Sky turnovers.