Dominant Performances: Lunar Owls Remain Undefeated, Rose Claim Third Victory
MEDLEY, Fla. – The Lunar Owls continue their perfect streak in Unrivaled, while the remaining teams are still adjusting as the season nears its midpoint.
Allisha Gray shone with 23 points, and Napheesa Collier netted the decisive basket, contributing 20 points, leading the Lunar Owls to a 94-76 victory over the Phantom in Friday night’s opening matchup.
Courtney Williams came off the bench to score 19 points, and Skylar Diggins-Smith added 18 points, making the Lunar Owls the first team in Unrivaled history to surpass 90 points in a game. The total of 170 points scored set a record for the league.
“You can’t achieve a 7-0 record without trusting your teammates,” Williams commented after the game.
Brittney Griner was the standout for the Phantom with 23 points, supported by Satou Sabally with 17 points and Sabrina Ionescu with 13 points, as the Phantom’s record slipped to 2-5 following this defeat.
In the subsequent game, Kahleah Copper topped all scorers with 21 points, while Chelsea Gray and Azurá Stevens contributed 15 points each, allowing the Rose to secure a 71-63 win over the Mist.
Stevens sealed the victory with a crucial layup and was efficient, shooting 6-of-9 from the field while grabbing nine rebounds.
Angel Reese also made a significant impact for the Rose, notching a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, six of which were offensive. The Rose improved to a 3-4 record with this success.
Rickea Jackson scored 17 points for the Mist, with Breanna Stewart and Aaliyah Edwards each adding 12 points, leaving the Mist with a 2-5 record.
Catch the highlights from Friday’s Unrivaled matchups:
Unrivaled Highlights
Final Score: Rose 71, Mist 63
Kahleah Copper was the high scorer with 21 points, while Chelsea Gray and Azurá Stevens both scored 15 points, leading the Rose to a 71-63 triumph over the Mist in the night’s second game.
Angel Reese contributed a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Stevens delivered the decisive layup for the Rose, who improved to a 3-4 record.
For the Mist, Rickea Jackson scored 17 points, while Breanna Stewart and Aaliyah Edwards added 12 points each, as the Mist fell to a 2-5 record this season.
Third Quarter Score: Rose 60, Mist 47
Winning Target Score: 71
Kahleah Copper led a balanced Rose attack with 14 points, while Angel Reese secured a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, giving the Rose a 60-47 lead as they headed into the final quarter.
Breanna Stewart scored 12 points, with Rickea Jackson contributing 11 points for the Mist.
Halftime Score: Rose 40, Mist 31
Kahleah Copper and Azura Stevens each contributed 10 points, while Angel Reese and Chelsea Gray both added nine points, helping the Rose to a 40-31 halftime lead over the Mist.
All six Mist players scored, led by Rickea Jackson with seven points and five rebounds. Breanna Stewart, Jewell Loyd, and DiJonai Carrington added six points each in the first half.
First Quarter Score: Rose 23, Mist 14
Angel Reese and Kahleah Copper both scored six points, allowing the Rose to establish a 23-14 lead over the Mist after the first quarter. Jewell Loyd was the scoring leader for the Mist with six points.
Final Score: Lunar Owls 94, Phantom 76
Allisha Gray led the way with 23 points, and Napheesa Collier secured the game-winning shot, finishing with 20 points as the Lunar Owls maintained their unbeaten status with a 94-76 victory against the Phantom in the first game of Friday night.
Courtney Williams added 19 points from the bench, while Skylar Diggins-Smith contributed 18 points, marking the Lunar Owls as the first team in Unrivaled history to score over 90 points in a game.
The combined total of 170 points also set a record for the highest-scoring game in Unrivaled history.
“You can’t maintain a 7-0 record without having faith in your teammates,” Williams stated after the game.
Brittney Griner led the Phantom with 23 points, with Satou Sabally contributing 17 points and Sabrina Ionescu adding 13 points. The Phantom fell to 2-5.
Third Quarter Score: Lunar Owls 83, Phantom 68
Winning Target Score: 94
After the third quarter, the Lunar Owls are in control, leading 83-68. The first team to reach the target score of 94 points will be declared the winner.
Allisha Gray has recorded 23 points, while Skylar Diggins-Smith has added 18 points. Napheesa Collier and Courtney Williams each have 16 points for the Lunar Owls, who enjoyed a lead of up to 17 points during the quarter.
Brittney Griner remains the scoring leader for the Phantom with 23 points.
Halftime Score: Lunar Owls 53, Phantom 52
Courtney Williams scored 14 points—eight of them consecutive before halftime—allowing the Lunar Owls to take a narrow 53-52 lead over the Phantom at the end of the second quarter.
Allisha Gray tallied 12 points, Skylar Diggins-Smith added 10 points, and Napheesa Collier contributed nine points in the first half.
The Phantom’s Brittney Griner led with 16 points, while Natasha Cloud had 11 points along with six assists.
First Quarter Score: Lunar Owls 32, Phantom 26
In the first quarter, Allisha Gray scored nine points, and all five starters for the Lunar Owls managed to score, giving them a 32-26 lead over the Phantom. Shakira Austin capped off the quarter with a buzzer-beater tip-in.
Brittney Griner led the Phantom’s scoring with nine points, while Katie Lou Samuelson contributed eight points.
How to Watch Unrivaled Games on TV
You can catch Unrivaled games on TNT in the U.S. and TSN+ in Canada.
How to Live Stream Unrivaled Games
Unrivaled games are also available to stream live on Max and internationally on YouTube.
Watch: Stream Unrivaled games on Sling TV
Lunar Owls (6-0) vs. Phantom (2-4) Preview
The Lunar Owls stand as the only unbeaten team in Unrivaled, supported by a strong starting lineup featuring Napheesa Collier, Allisha Gray, and Skylar Diggins-Smith. Collier recently scored 36 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, Gray added 20 points, and Diggins-Smith made her fourth game-winning shot in their previous match against the Vinyl, which ended 85-68. Collier leads the league, averaging an impressive 29.3 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.
Sabrina Ionescu is anticipated to return for the Phantom following her participation at Super Bowl week in New Orleans. She had an outstanding performance last week, posting 38 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists against the Rose. Satou Sabally led the Phantom with 22 points, while Brittney Griner contributed 20 points and eight rebounds in their last outing against the Mist.
Rose (2-4) vs. Mist (2-4) Preview
The Rose will face off against the Mist in the second of two games this Friday night, both coming off fresh victories.
The Rose defeated the Laces 83-69 last Saturday, with Chelsea Gray scoring 28 points and Azurá Stevens contributing 23 points along with eight rebounds.
Angel Reese was thrown out of the game for receiving two technical fouls in the second quarter, but she had already collected 15 rebounds before leaving.
Last Monday, Breanna Stewart and the Mist triumphed over the Phantom with a score of 64-61. Stewart contributed significantly with 19 points, 13 rebounds, and four assists, helping the Mist secure their second consecutive victory following a challenging start of 0-4.
Unrivaled Upcoming Schedule
This Saturday, Unrivaled has two more games lined up. First, The Laces will face off against the Vinyl, followed by a matchup between the Mist and the Lunar Owls.
Following this, Unrivaled will kick off its 1-on-1 tournament, which will take place on Monday, Tuesday, and next Friday.
Unrivaled 1-on-1 Tournament: What You Need to Know
A total of 30 out of 36 Unrivaled players will compete in the tournament, which features a prize pool of $350,000.
The tournament champion will receive $200,000, the runner-up will get $50,000, and the other two semifinalists will take home $25,000 each. Additionally, each teammate of the winner will be awarded $10,000.
Is Angel Reese Playing Tonight?
Yes, Reese and her team, the Rose, will be playing in the second game on Friday evening.
Reese made history last Saturday by becoming the first player in Unrivaled to be ejected during a game against the Laces. A referee misinterpreted her gesture as directed at him rather than toward Tiffany Hayes after a defensive play, resulting in two technical fouls in the second quarter. In response, Reese posted “free me” on social media, while her coach expressed hope that she would learn from the incident.
Additionally, it was announced last week that McDonald’s will serve the Angel Reese Special: a BBQ Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese topped with a new BBQ sauce, served with French fries and a drink.
What is Unrivaled?
Unrivaled is a newly launched women’s basketball league founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. The inaugural season is set to take place from January to mid-March.
The league features six teams comprising 36 of the world’s top women basketball players, including the likes of Sabrina Ionescu and Brittney Griner, competing in 3-on-3 full-court matches.
Where is Unrivaled Playing Their Games?
All games will be hosted at Wayfair Arena located in Medley, Florida, part of the Miami metropolitan area, approximately 7 miles from Miami International Airport.
Unrivaled Team Names and Rosters
- Laces: Stefanie Dolson, Tiffany Hayes, Natisha Hiedeman (relief player contract), Kate Martin, Kayla McBride, Alyssa Thomas, Jackie Young.
- Lunar Owls: Shakira Austin, Napheesa Collier, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Allisha Gray, Courtney Williams, Cameron Brink (IR).
- Mist: DiJonai Carrington, Aaliyah Edwards, Rickea Jackson, Jewell Loyd, NaLyssa Smith (relief player contract), Breanna Stewart, Courtney Vandersloot.
- Phantom: Natasha Cloud, Brittney Griner, Sabrina Ionescu, Marina Mabrey, Satou Sabally, Katie Lou Samuelson.
- Rose: Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Lexie Hull, Angel Reese, Azura Stevens, Brittney Sykes.
- Vinyl: Aliyah Boston, Rae Burrell, Jordin Canada, Dearica Hamby, Rhyne Howard, Arike Ogunbowale.
Unrivaled Rules to Note
- Unrivaled games consist of three seven-minute quarters, concluding when a team reaches the target winning score in the fourth quarter, which is defined as 11 points above the highest score at the end of the third quarter. This format is known as the Elam Ending.
- Players will only take one free throw after a foul: a successful free throw counts for either two or three points, depending on the nature of the foul.
- The court size for Unrivaled measures 72 feet in length and 49.2 feet in width, in contrast to NBA and WNBA courts, which are 94 feet long and 50 feet wide.
