2016 WNBA season scores: Dream hold off depleted Fever

The Atlanta Dream continued to roll early in the 2016 WNBA regular season, picking up their fourth straight win at the expense of the Indiana Fever, 85-76 on Sunday.

Angel McCoughtry scored a game-high 22 points and added six rebounds as the Dream improved to 5-1 overall in the season while maintaining hold of the top spot in the Eastern Conference by a considerable margin.

Layshia Clarendon had 17 points and five rebounds, while Tiffany Hayes contributed 13 points on 4-for-6 shooting and six assists.

The Fever were without Maggie Lucas, Briann January, and Shenise Johnson entering the match, and they suffered in the first half without the three-point shooting from those players.

Outside shooting had been a large part of the Fever's 2015 season run; they led the league in three-point shooting with a 36 percent clip. January (43.1) and Johnson (41.3) were first and third in three-point shooting among players.

The Dream broke loose using a 9-2 run to end the first quarter as they took a 22-12 lead. The Dream then poured it on in the second quarter, with back to back baskets by McCoughtry and an and-one conversion by Clarendon giving the home side its biggest advantage at 43-25.

The scrappy Fever, however, came back and even took a 55-54 lead after a basket underneath from Natalie Achonwa. Teams went back and forth after that point, and it was not until halfway in the fourth quarter where the Dream created seperation anew.

Marissa Coleman had hit a triple which pulled the Fever within 67-66, but Hayes and McCoughtry each scored around the rim to give the Dream a 71-66 lead. Later, a three from Clarendon made it 74-68 as the Dream never looked back to seal the win.

The Fever shot only 5-for-19 from three-point range. They were led by Erica Wheeler's 18 points and 7 assists. Tamika Catchings had 16 points and passed the 7,000-point mark of her WNBA career.

The Dream once again used their aggressiveness to generate points in the win. The Dream had 32 free throw attempts against only 13 for the Fever, and made 11 more foul shots.

Last night's scores

 Atlanta Dream 85, Indiana Fever 76

 Chicago Sky 92, Dallas Wings 87
Six players scored in double-digits for the Sky as the team got back to .500 in the season. Cappie Pondexter scored 18 points, Elena Delle Donne had 14 points, and Jamierra Faulkner dished out nine of the Sky's 28 assists. The Sky also shot 58.6 percent from the field.

Phoenix Mercury 93, Washington Mystics 77
The Mercury finally won a game in the season after dropping four straight prior. Diana Taurasi had 28 points including 5-for-9 from three-point area. Candice Dupree added 16 points while DeWanna Bonner had a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds.

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