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The first night of Unrivaled playoff action didn’t disappoint.
Vinyl won in dramatic fashion, upsetting Laces. They celebrated on the court while their head coach, Teresa Weatherspoon, watched from the sidelines, beaming with pride. In the other matchup, Breeze took care of Rose easily, blowing them out, guaranteeing that there would be a new Unrivaled champion in 2026.
Behind Rhyne Howard’s 30-ball, Vinyl upsets Laces
In opening game of the playoffs, Vinyl, as the No. 6 seed, upset the No. 3-seed Laces, 82-69.
Rhyne Howard had a team-high 30 points, and Dearica Hamby had 25 points in the win. For the Laces, Brittney Sykes had 22 points, and Alyssa Thomas scored 18 points while grabbing nine boards.
Vinyl gained control early on, starting the game on a 10-4 run. Laces relied on Skyes’ scoring to settle things down. She scored 10 points in the first period.
A Jackie Young 3-pointer gave Laces their first lead of the night with 2:54 left in the first, but Howard responded with a shot from beyond the arc of her own, making it a 17-17 game. During the closing minutes of the quarter, Naz Hillmon converted on a deep ball to give Laces the 24-21 advantage.
Laces maintained their lead during the opening half, but Vinyl stayed within striking distance. As a team, Vinyl shot 60 percent during the first two quarters and had a balanced attack with Hamby, Rae Burrell and Howard combining for 27 points.
While Vinyl was scoring in bunches, Laces matched that shot-making. They went 55 percent from the field, and Sykes ended the second quarter with a 3 to give them a 46-42 edge entering the third quarter.
Hamby got the scoring started for Vinyl in the second half with four-straight points to even the contest. Thomas then scored off a turnover, and Laces were back in front. Both teams exchanged baskets until Vinyl created some separation, going on a brief 5-0 run.
Then, late in the quarter, Howard went off scoring eight-consecutive points.
After Hamby also scored inside, Vinyl entered the fourth in front 71-63. With the target score set at 82, Vinyl ran away with what was left of the game. Laces only scored just six points in the period, and Hamby ended the game on a layup near the rim.
Paige Bueckers and Breeze send defending champion Rose home
Paige Bueckers had struggled (compared to her standard) in the last couple of regular-season games, but she bounced back against Rose.
She had a 29-point performance, putting Breeze in front of Rose 69-50 to win the game and punch their ticket to the semifinals.
While Bueckers dominated, her teammates helped. Rickea Jackson chipped in nine points, and Dominque Malonga had 14 points and 17 rebounds in the victory. In the loss, Kahleah Copper had 15 points for Rose, and Angel Reese finished the game with 10 points and seven rebounds.
Early on, Breeze and Rose were even at 10 points apiece. However, Breeze began pulling away thanks to repeated buckets by Cameron Brink during the final minutes of the opening quarter. Courtney Williams hit a pair of 3s at the end of the period to give Breeze the 24-16 advantage.
The second started with makes from Brink and Williams. After a Bueckers make, Breeze was in front by double figures.
To make matters worse for Rose, Copper went down near the end of the quarter and had to exit the game temporarily. Shakira Austin hit a free throw soon after to trim the deficit down, but Breeze was still in front by eight at the halftime break.
In the third quarter, Bueckers was as sharp as ever. She had seven points midway through the period, and Rose continued to struggle offensively, and Breeze took advantage. Bueckers continued to pile on, and with Breeze in front, 58-41 after three quarters, it was clear this game was done.
In the fourth, Bueckers remained en fuego, and Rose never threatened to come back. Malonga ultimately wilted Rose away on a free throw make.
On Monday, the playoffs will continue with Mist taking on Breeze and Phantom facing Vinyl in Brooklyn, NY at Barclays Center. The action will begin at 7:30 on TNT/ truTV.
