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The Atlanta Dream defeated the Connecticut Sun 104-69 on Thursday, with Angel Reese pulling down 15 rebounds despite an inefficient offensive performance. Reese connected on only three of 13 shot attempts for eight points and committed two turnovers in the lopsided contest. Her rebounding production underscored her value on the boards even as her shooting struggled throughout the matchup.
An incident in the second quarter drew scrutiny when Reese took a blow to the face during a double-teamed layup attempt. Connecticut’s Aaliyah Edwards’ hand struck Reese in the face and head area as Reese released her shot, causing Edwards to fall behind her. The contact prompted Reese to turn and shout at Edwards, and moments later on the sideline Reese gestured to indicate the blow had caught her neck region.
Officials reviewed the play and elevated Edwards’ foul to a Flagrant 1 classification. The flagrant designation did not become a topic during the Dream’s postgame news conference despite the heated nature of the encounter. Brittney Griner also challenged Reese’s shot attempts, blocking three of her attempts including one early in the first quarter.
Flagrant fouls have emerged as a major point of national conversation in 2026 WNBA play. Previous incidents this season included Alyssa Thomas’ throat strike on Caitlin Clark in June and DiJonai Carrington’s face contact with Sophie Cunningham last Saturday. The league continues managing ongoing debate surrounding physical play and broader cultural discussions.
Reese will join Clark on Team USA’s roster for the FIBA Women’s World Cup in Germany within the coming weeks while the WNBA observes its scheduled break from regular-season competition.
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