HARTFORD, Conn. — Alanna Smith has spent much of this season searching for rhythm. Thursday, for a stretch, she found it.
Smith scored 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, in 13 minutes, 40 seconds during a minutes-restricted return as the Dallas Wings rallied from a 14-point deficit to beat the Connecticut Sun, 86-83.
A Number Well Above the Average
Smith entered Thursday averaging 4.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists across 16 games this season, a modest workload shaped by a schedule that has rarely let her stay on the floor. Her 11-point night nearly tripled that scoring average, and her 4-of-6 clip from the field, including 2-of-3 from deep, was well above her season marks of 40.6% shooting and 20.0% from three.
“I wouldn’t say I’m in a great rhythm at the moment. This whole season I’ve been in and out a little bit, so I haven’t really been able to get into a flow,” Smith said. “This is probably one of a few games this season where I’ve felt a little bit like myself.”
A Managed Return
Smith and Odyssey Sims each played under restrictions set by the Wings’ medical staff as part of a managed return for both.
Wings coach Jose Fernandez said the limits, capping Sims at roughly 12 minutes and Smith just under 14, were designed to protect both players while still getting value from them on the floor.
“Both she and Odyssey were on minute restrictions,” Fernandez said. “Our medical staff did a great job with both of them. I thought Odyssey’s defensive presence was important, and what Alanna gave us stretching the floor with the pick-and-pop and in middle pick-and-roll situations was huge.”
Playing Through It
Smith played part of the season behind a protective mask after fracturing her nose, a stretch she said she tried not to use as an excuse.
“I don’t like blaming things on the mask because you want to play through adversity, but it is pretty cool to be able to see,” Smith said.
Her performance came inside a building that treated Dallas like the home team, with fans from Paige Bueckers‘ and Azzi Fudd‘s UConn days filling the stands. Smith, in her first season with the Wings after signing as a free agent, said playing alongside the two has given her an appreciation for how they carry themselves.
“You’ve got two of the most humble superstars sitting up here right now,” Smith said. “They don’t see themselves as better than anyone else, which is amazing because they have so much magnitude, especially in a place like this where it felt like a home game. I’m just happy to be along for the ride with these two.”
Dallas (13-8) travels to face the Toronto Tempo on Sunday to continue a four-game road trip.
