University of Tennessee Athletics
Lady Vols in the WNBA Update: July 16
July 15, 2019 | Women's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. --  Diamond DeShields had the hot hand on Sunday, knocking down five threes en route to a season-high 26 points to lead Chicago to an 89-79 victory over Dallas. She currently leads the Sky in scoring with 14.9 ppg. and was selected to the 2019 WNBA All-Star Game, the first of her career.
In that same game Isabelle Harrison posted 15 points and three blocked shots for the Wings, but it wasn't enough to overcome Chicago. She's averaging 1.2 bpg. on the season, ranking 12th in WNBA. Fellow Dallas teammate Glory Johnson narrowly missed a double-double against Seattle on July 12, recording 18 points and nine rebounds.
Mercedes Russell notched a career-high 19 points in Seattle's loss to New York on July 3. Currently averaging 6.3 rpg., Russell ranks 20th in the league in rebounding.
Following back-to-back games in double figures, Shekinna Stricklen is averaging 9.2 ppg. and 23.3 mpg. for the Connecticut Sun. The team is currently in second place behind only the Las Vegas Aces.
Candace Parker suffered an ankle injury during the first quarter of the Sparks 74-62 loss at Dallas on Tuesday and was not active in the following two games. A timeframe for her return has not been announced.
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Chicago Sky
G | 2nd Season
Diamond DeShields
DeShields has started in all 17 of the Chicago Sky's games this season. She is averaging 14.9 ppg., 5.6 rpg. and shooting a steady 83.0 percent from the free-throw line. She leads the team in scoring and is currently ranked 14th in the league in ppg. She will make the first WNBA All-Star appearance of her career on July 27. Her next game is Wednesday when the Sky will host the Atlanta Dream at noon ET (League Pass).
Dallas Wings
F/C | 4th Season
Isabelle Harrison
After sitting out all of last season due to medical reasons, Harrison has been averaging a little over 24 minutes a game and tallying 7.8 ppg. and 4.5 rpg. She recently scored 15 points and blocked three shots against Chicago. She currently ranks 12th in the league in blocked shots at 1.2 bpg. She'll hit the court again on Wednesday, traveling to Phoenix for a 3:30 p.m. ET tip (NBA TV, Fox Sports Arizona, Fox Sports Southwest, NBA TV Canada).
Dallas Wings
F | 7th Season
Glory Johnson
Johnson has appeared in 10 games for Dallas, starting in seven. She's currently averaging 7.7 ppg. and 6.5 rbg. She'll hit the court again on Wednesday, traveling to Phoenix for a 3:30 p.m. ET tip (NBA TV, Fox Sports Arizona, Fox Sports Southwest, NBA TV Canada).
Los Angeles Sparks
F/C | 12th Season
Candace Parker
Initially sidelined with a hamstring injury at the start of the season, Parker saw action in seven games before suffering an ankle injury on July 9 against Dallas. A timeframe for her return has not been announced. The Sparks will be back in action on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. ET as they host the Wings (NBA TV, Spectrum SportsNet, NBA TV Canada).Â
Seattle Storm
C | 2nd Season
Mercedes Russell
Russell has seen action in 18 games for the Storm, starting in 14 and averaging 7.7 ppg. and 6.3 rpg. She currently ranks 20th in the league in rebounding. Seattle will travel to Minnesota on Wednesday, facing off at 8 p.m. ET (NBA TV, Fox Sports North, NBA TV Canada).Â
Connecticut Sun
G/F | 8th Season
Shekinna Stricklen
Stricklen has started in all 17 games this season for the Connecticut Sun, as the team is in second place in the league standings. She is sitting at 9.2 ppg. and has chipped in 1.6 rpg. while playing 23.3 mpg. so far this season. Stricklen also has been shooting an impressive 88.9 percent on free throws. Her next game is Friday against Atlanta at 7:30 p.m. ET (NBA TV, NESN+, WSB Now, SN1).Â
