Atlanta Dream win season opener

BRADENTON, Fla. — Monique Billings had a career-high 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, rookie Chennedy Carter added 18 points and eight assists, and the Atlanta Dream beat the Dallas Wings 105-95 on Sunday in the season opener for both teams.

Betnijah Laney had a career-best 19 points, Elizabeth Williams added 17 and Shekinna Stricklen had 16, including four 3-pointers, for Atlanta.

Arike Ogunbowale and Allisha Gray led Dallas with 19 points apiece and Isabella Harrison scored 18 and grabbed 11 rebounds. Satou Sabally, the No. 2 pick in April’s draft, had 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Atlanta shot 54.8% and scored its most points since a 109-100 win over Las Vegas on Aug. 9, 2018.

Billings made the first of two free throws to give the Dream their biggest lead of the game at 93-81 with 4:02 left. Ogunbowale scored six points in a 14-4 run over the next 2 1/2 minutes to pull the Wings within two, but Williams answered with a layup an Dallas got no closer.

The 2020 WNBA season, delayed and shortened by the coronavirus pandemic, is being played in a bubble at the IMG Academy in Florida.