After meeting on Friday night, Mist and Phantom are back at it, taking on Rose and Lunar Owls, respectively, in Unrivaled’s Saturday double header.
For Mist, the urgency escalates, as they’ll seek to keep Rose winless and avoid 0-4. Phantom will try to maintain momentum against unbeaten Lunar Owls. The first game tips off 6 p.m. ET, with the second contest scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. TruTV will broadcast both games.
Will Rose be a thorn in the side of Mist?
Down in sunny Miami, Mist have found themselves in a winless fog.
The club has struggled to find the right three-player combinations, with absences by Jewell Loyd and DiJonai Carrington further impeding Mist’s ability to establish the cohesion needed to enter the win column. It’s unclear if Loyd and Carrington, who both missed Friday’s loss to Phantom, will return to the lineup on Saturday. Mist certainly could use them to keep up with Rose’s guard tandem of Kahleah Copper and Brittney Sykes.
Off since last Saturday, it’s likely Rose captain Chelsea Gray will have her club ready to roll. And everyone also knows that Angel Reese has been in the lab, refining her game with secrets from a past and present legend.
Reese’s relentless athletic energy, combined with that of Copper and Sykes, could cause trouble for Mist, which has more finesse-inclined players who do not consistently play with force. It also might be wise for Rose to give Lexie Hull some extended opportunity; her floor spacing can provideopen lanes for the trio of Reese, Copper and Sykes to attack the basket.
Barring Mist avoiding the cold shooting spells that have sunk them thus far, it’s hard to see them having enough oomph on a back-to-back to keep up with a rested Rose squad.
Can Phantom give Lunar Owls a scare?
On Friday night, Laces solidified their bid as Unrivaled’s best team. Lunar Owls can make their case on Saturday.
Like Laces, Lunar Owls, who will be seeking to extended their start to 3-0, have a balanced roster with versatile, athletic players, all boosted by the sensational Napheesa Collier, who is averaging a league-leading 29 points per game, along with 8.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals.
Fresh off a hard-fought first victory, Phantom will be at a disadvantage, not only playing on a back-to-back while Lunar Owls have not played since last Saturday, but they also are still down to five players, as Marina Mabrey remains out with a calf injury and Sabrina Ionescu is in Paris.
However, the club that appeared aimless after its first two games may have found something on Friday night. Phantom successfully amplified Brittney Griner’s greatness, taking advantage of her size and scoring touch as she poured in an efficient 29 points. As long as she is good to go, as she had to leave Friday night’s game multiple times with a nagging injury, Phantom should go at Lunar Owls, who have opted for smaller lineups with Collier as serving as the lone “big,” with BG.
Satou Sabally staying out of foul trouble also will be a necessity for Phantom; she’s been limited by early fouls in every game and fouled out on Friday night. She’s Phantom’s best option on Collier, but she has to discover more defensive discipline. Otherwise, expect another Collier masterclass as Lunar Owls cruise to their third win.
Game information
Mist BC (0-4) vs. Rose BC (0-3)
When: Saturday, Jan. 25 at 6 p.m. ET
Where: Wayfair Arena in Medley, FL
How to watch: TruTV
Lunar Owls BC (2-0) vs. Phantom BC (1-2)
When: Saturday, Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Wayfair Arena in Medley, FL
How to watch: TruTV
