Dream forward Angel McCoughtry hasn’t had a problem scoring this season, but she’s struggled to score efficiently. That changed Sunday with a new mindset.
McCoughtry entered Sunday second in the WNBA in scoring average but 28th in field goal percentage, with the Dream holding down last place in the Eastern Conference.
So the seventh-year player took fewer shots Sunday and looked to create more open looks for her teammates. That approach helped the Dream, playing without injured forward Sancho Lyttle (left foot), secure an 84-76 win against New York at Philips Arena. McCoughtry scored 32 points, her season high in a non-overtime game, on 9-for-12 shooting and tied a season high with six assists.
“We need Angel scoring, but the big key with her is we need Angel to be a facilitator,” coach Michael Cooper said. “She can still get 32 without having to shoot 25 or 30 times.”
With the Dream (6-7) clinging to a two-point lead over the Liberty (7-5) with about a minute to go, McCoughtry found a wide-open teammate Sydney Carter and the point guard nailed an 18-foot jumper, sparking a game-ending 6-0 run.
“I can’t shoot 28 shots in a game anymore,” McCoughtry said. “It doesn’t help the team.”
Carter and rookie forward Cierra Burdick made their first starts for the Dream. Both players were signed on June 17 and were the team’s second-highest scorers with 12 points each.
While Lyttle listed is day-to-day, her left foot was in a boot. Lyttle averages over 10 points a game, third on the team, and leads the team ins rebounding with 8.5 per game. She injured her foot late in the fourth quarter Tuesday.
Carter replaced Matee Ajavon, who had started the last 10 games but didn’t play Sunday. Carter had four assists to one turnover and the Dream’s 84 points were a season high for a non-overtime game.
“I’m looking to get everybody a shot before I get a shot because I feel like the point guard is supposed to make everybody else better,” Carter said.
Shoni Schimmel, an All-Star point guard last season, played over seven minutes Sunday, more than she had played in the four previous games combined. Schimmel will get more minutes now that she’s in game shape, Cooper said.
While Schimmel has started just two games this season, she was the second-highest vote-getter among Eastern Conference guards as of July 2. The two guards with the most votes start the All-Star game. Starters will be announced Tuesday and before the game, Schimmel said she hopes to make the All-Star roster.
But it was McCoughtry, another potential All-Star selection, and her new approach that helped the Dream secure a victory in the Dream’s last home game until August 2 as they embark on a six-game road trip.
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