
Rhyne Howard sank a WNBA-record-tying nine 3-pointers and scored a season-high 36 points while leading the Atlanta Dream to an 88-70 victory over the Chicago Sky on Friday in College Park, Ga.
Howard, who had 19 long-range attempts, matched the league’s single-game trey record held by Kelsey Mitchell (2019 Connecticut Sun), Jewell Loyd (2023 Washington Mystics) and Arike Ogunbowale (2024 Indiana Fever).
Allisha Gray added 15 points while Brionna Jones compiled 13 points and 11 rebounds for Atlanta (7-3), which won its sixth game in seven tries. Jordin Canada had 12 points and eight assists in the win.
Kamilla Cardoso logged 15 points and nine rebounds for Chicago (2-7). Angel Reese had 12 points and nine boards, and Ariel Atkins finished with 12 points. The Sky dropped their third straight game and fell to 1-5 on the road.
After trailing by a point at half, Atlanta reclaimed the lead on consecutive 3-pointers by Canada and Howard less than two minutes into the third quarter.
Atkins’ two free throws gave Chicago a three-point edge with 7:06 left in the third, but Atlanta held the Sky scoreless for nearly five minutes while grabbing a 53-50 lead.
Howard’s step-back jumper with one second left in the quarter gave Atlanta a 58-54 advantage entering the fourth.
An 8-2 spurt to begin the final quarter gave the Dream a 66-56 lead with 8:18 left — forcing a Chicago timeout.
The run continued after the break with Jones’ three-point play and Howard’s layup giving the Dream their largest lead to that point at 71-56.
After Atlanta took a 15-12 lead into the second quarter, the Sky used a 13-0 run — including Rachel Banham’s consecutive 3-pointers — to take a 31-23 advantage.
Atkins’ jumper later gave Chicago a five-point edge with 37.4 seconds remaining before Howard’s free throws and Gray’s mid-range basket in the closing seconds before halftime sliced Atlanta’s deficit to 39-38.
Reese and Cardoso led Chicago with eight first-half points apiece, while Howard’s eight paced Atlanta.
–Field Level Media