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Team WNBA defeats Team USA in 2024 All-Star game

© Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Team WNBA beat Team USA 117-109 in the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game. They were led by Arike Ogunbowale, who scored a new WNBA All-Star record with 34 points. Ogunbowale was named the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game MVP for the second time in her career, having previously won the award in 2021.

USA vs WNBA 

The All-Star game in Phoenix began with Diana Taurasi of Team USA nailing a three-pointer in front of her home fans.

Team USA would lead by as many as six points in the first quarter, jumping off to a 6-0 lead that forced Team WNBA to take an early timeout. Following the timeout, Team WNBA responded with a 9-4 run, narrowing the lead to one, 10-9. Team WNBA trailed for the entire quarter before scoring the last four points and grabbing the lead on an Angel Reese putback layup.

Nneka Ogwumike led Team WNBA with eight points after the first quarter, while A’ja Wilson lead Team USA with seven. The second quarter would remain tight, with neither side establishing a double digit lead, with Team USA holding the largest lead by six. Caitlin Clark, the other rookie in this game, earned her first points in the second quarter with a fast break layup after a steal.

Breanna Stewart heated up in the second quarter, leading Team USA with 10 points, while Allisha Gray had 10 for Team WNBA. At halftime, Team USA led Team WNBA 54-52, with Breanna Stewart leading the way with 14 points, A’ja Wilson with 13 and Britney Griner with eight for Team USA. Allisha Gray led Team WNBA in scoring with 12 points, followed by Nneka Ogwumike with 8 and Brionna Jones with 6. Caitlin Clark had two points and six assists at halftime, while Angel Reese had four points and seven rebounds.

With 8:44 remaining in the third quarter, we were tied before Team WNBA went on a run and took the game’s greatest lead, 11 points. Arike Ogunbowale led Team WNBA in the quarter with 21 points on 6-for-10 shooting from the field and 5-7 from three.

Kelsey Mitchell also had a solid quarter for Team WNBA, scoring 9 points on 4-4 shooting and 1-1 from three. Mitchell would hit a buzzer-beating shot to close the quarter, giving Team WNBA an 88-79 lead.

Team WNBA would dominate, holding a double-digit lead for the majority of the fourth quarter. With a minute left, Team USA trailed by 13 before trimming the deficit to 6, 115-109. Team WNBA would win the game 117-109, beating Team USA for the second time since the format was introduced during the Olympic year.

Box Score

Arike Ogunbowale scored a WNBA All-Star game record 34 points, including eight three-pointers, passing Jewell Loyd. Ogunbowale becomes just the fourth player in WNBA history to receive multiple All-Star MVP awards.

Breanna Stewart scored 31 points, tying Jewell Loyd for second most in a WNBA All-Star game. A’ja Wilson finished the game with 22 points on 8-13 shooting, going 2-3 from three. Diana Taurasi scored 14 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and assisted 5 times in what may be her last All-Star game.

As for the rookies, Angel Reese recorded the first double-double in a WNBA All-Star game, with 11 rebounds and 12 points on 5-10 shooting. Caitlin Clark ended the game with 4 points and 10 assists, one short of Sue Bird’s WNBA All-Star record (11).

Team USA will play a showcase game against Germany on July 23rd, tipping off at 12 p.m., before traveling to Paris for the Olympics. During the Olympics, the WNBA will take break before returning to action on August 15th. The Las Vegas Aces will return to play on August 17th, when they face the New York Liberty at 1pm.

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