Aces secure playoff spot with 79-74 victory over sky
Las Vegas Aces' NaLyssa Smith (#3) heavily guards Chicago Sky's Ariel Atkins (#7) as she attempts to take a shot and even the score. Photo by Brandon Collier, ON AIR Daily News.
CHICAGO - The Las Vegas Aces secured a spot in the WNBA playoffs with their victory Monday night September 25, 2025 over the Chicago Sky, winning 79-74. Top scorer for the Sky was Ariel Akins (#7) with 30 points, and top scorer for the Aces was Jackie Young (#0) with 22 points.
A'ja Wilson added 18 points and nine rebounds to the Aces' score to clinch the win in a fight to the finish. The Aces pulled out front in the first quarter, leading 20 to 14, and widened the gap in the second quarter, scoring 24 points to the Sky's 18 points
But the Sky came back in the third quarter, scoring 24 points to the Aces 16, and ending the quarter with the Aces ahead 60-56, just four points, certainly within striking distance of a Sky win.
Celebrity couple Common and Jennifer Hudson arrive at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago to enjoy an exciting basketball matchup between Chicago and Las Vegas as ON AIR Daily News Publisher John Alexander gets his reporting team in position. Photo by Brandon Collier, ON AIR Daily News
The fourth quarter was a battle right down to the wire, with both teams hitting basket for basket, but in the end, the Aces scored 19 points in the quarter and the Sky came up short with just 18 points, handing a 79-74 victory to the Las Vegas Aces.
SKY SNAP LOSING SKID, BESTS WASHINGTON 78-64
The return of Ariel Atkins gives Chicago a spark en route to a much-needed win
Ariel Atkins cheers her team on from the bench in her first game back from injury. (Brandon Collier / On Air Daily News)
By Andy Diederich
Sports Reporter
ON AIR Daily News
Wintrust Arena played host to yet another Chicago Sky home game Tuesday night August 5, 2025, but this time, the Sky fans in attendance left as victors. The 8-game losing streak is no more, as the Sky defeated the Washington Mystics 78-64.
At times during this losing skid, it didn’t just look as though the Sky did not win, it seemed as though the Sky could not win. However, the return of scorer and playmaker guard Ariel Atkins did wonders to spark the Sky into a convincing victory they desperately needed.
“I hate not being out there with my team,” Atkins said postgame. “It felt good to be back out there with my teammates, playing with a smile, just was great to be back out there.”
Head coach Tyler Marsh agreed wholeheartedly with his shooting guard.
“She’s another experienced ball handler out there, it gives us more flexibility and more freedom,” said Marsh of the 8th-year veteran. “I thought more than anything, there was a rejuvenation and energy for everyone else that saw her put in all the work to get back on the court.”
Kamilla Cardoso defends a shot from Washington’s Kiki Iriafen in the first half. (Brandon Collier / On Air Daily News)
Rejuvenation is the perfect descriptor for what this win did for the Sky, who’ve struggled through injuries & roster turnover early and often this season. They ran out to a 25-10 lead in the first quarter, moving the ball much more fluidly and easily than we’ve seen recently. Open shots were plentiful. They also capitalized on a plethora of mistakes from the Mystics, who themselves were in some roster turmoil after trading all-star and leading scorer guard Brittney Sykes to Seattle.
The second quarter turned to favor the Mystics after they ramped up their defensive pressure on the Sky. Forcing nine turnovers along with increased shooting efficiency cut the Sky lead to just seven at the half. It looked as though it was another installment of the Chicago Sky failing to stay afloat after a hot start.
Marsh spoke to this specifically when asked about his mid-game messaging to the team.
“This was similar to the first game we played with Washington here in terms of getting out to a good start early and then putting us on our heels and ultimately winning the game,” Marsh said. We didn’t want a repeat of that tonight.”
Michaela Onyenwere elevates for a midrange jumpshot over Washington’s Stefanie Dolson. (Brandon Collier / On Air Daily News)
This time around, the Sky were not only treading water as the game progressed, but extending their lead. Angel Reese’s absence did little to slow the Sky from finding success in the post, with center Kamilla Cardoso and forward Williams wreaking havoc in the interior all game long.
Cardoso looked much more comfortable in the paint en route to a 16 point, 13 rebound performance on 67% shooting, marking her 7th-straight double-double.
As for the veteran Williams, you’d never know she had suffered a season-ending knee injury last season. “E-Will” led all scorers with 18 points along with 10 rebounds for a double-double of her own.
“I thought we played with good pace offensively… you can only do that if we’re in good space as well,” Williams said of the healthy-looking offense. “Having an extra spacer, an extra slasher (in Ariel Atkins) helps tremendously. I thought we cut really well off the ball as well.”
Atkins finished with 15 points and five assists on 70% efficiency, calling her own number when needed to make a few of her signature midrange jumpers.
Jade Melbourne of the Mystics gets into the paint and attempts a layup with defense from Rachel Banham. (Brandon Collier / On Air Daily News)
Her fellow starter in the backcourt in guard Rachel Banham had five points and four assists of her own, plus forward Michaela Onyenwere’s 12 points and newcomer forward Sevgi Uzun scoring six and assisting five times off the bench only made things easier down the stretch. Out of the nine Sky players that played more than a minute, all but one of them scored.
Angel Reese, who is still listed day-to-day with a back injury, supports her team from the sideline. (Brandon Collier / On Air Daily News)
A late run in the fourth quarter from the Mystics came up short in the end. Rookies guard Sonia Citron and forward Kiki Iriafen didn’t find the same success against the Sky they had previously.
Citron led the Mystics with 13 points and 4 steals while Iriafen notched 10 points and 6 rebounds.
With this generally ugly from them coming on the same day as trading away guard Brittney Sykes, the Mystics looked like a team searching for a new identity.The Sky, despite the win, are still trying to do much of the same. Their 8-21 record puts them 6.5 games out of the playoff picture.
They’re still without Angel Reese, who has no timetable to return and is still listed as day-to-day. They’ll finish out their homestand on Thursday night against the Atlanta Dream.
CHICAGO SKY FALL 73-66 TO GOLDEN STATE, LOSE 7TH STRAIGHt
Extended absences for Angel Reese and Ariel Atkins continues to spell doom
Rebecca Allen snags a rebound and looks to push the pace early in the second half. (Brandon Collier / On Air Daily News)
By Andy Diederich
Sports Reporter
ON AIR Daily News
The Chicago Sky kicked off a 4 game homestand Friday night, August 1, 2025, coming up short against the Golden State Valkyries, 73-66. The Valkyries, in their first year of existence, have certainly been the premier story of the 2025 WNBA season thus far, and their latest chapter came at the expense of the struggling Sky.
Both teams were sporting a hefty injury report entering the contest. The Sky were once again without their two leading scorers in forward Angel Reese and guard Ariel Atkins despite Reese’s appearance in their game against the Mystics on Tuesday. Hailey Van Lith was also out with injury, leaving the Sky with only eight players active for the game.
Seeing her first action in a Sky uniform was Sevgi Uzun, who was signed earlier this week to fill a vacant roster spot. Golden State themselves only had nine players to go with.
Kia Nurse is fired up after successfully drawing a charge in the first quarter. (Brandon Collier / On Air Daily News)
At first, the Valkyries played as though nothing was amiss with their roster. Three offensive rebounds in the first three minutes led to some quick three-pointers, letting the Valkyries jump out to an 8-2 lead. A quick timeout from the Sky seemed to let them course correct before the teams battled to a 37-37 tie at halftime.
The Sky finished the first 20 minutes with 11 assists on 14 made field goals with only four turnovers. Starting guards Rachel Banham and Kia Nurse found their bigs in centers Kamilla Cardoso and Elizabeth Williams on multiple occasions for easy buckets, but also called their own number for some timely baskets as well.
For a team that’s had its share of troubles in feeding the ball inside and turnover concerns in general, it was a healthy sign of progression. Kia Nurse was pleased with the majority of their offensive effort when asked about it postgame.
“The more we move the ball, the better we are,” Nurse said. “It's just creating advantages for one another & playing selfless basketball. I think we did a good job today of understanding and making those reads. We play really well with one another, and we play really well off of one another, and there was a lot of excitement and energy there built in.”
Despite the solid second quarter offense for both squads, neither team came out of the half firing.
Another low scoring period concluded with a two-point Sky lead heading into the fourth. But while the Sky avoided the third quarter woes that have so often plagued them this year, it seems those woes just came a bit later this time. The Sky scored only two points in the five minutes to start the fourth quarter, while the Valkyries capitalized and ran out to an eight point lead.
Williams was blunt when asked about the Sky’s troubles late.
“Some of it was just missing shots to be honest,” Williams said. “We weren’t getting as many defensive stops that would lead to some easier offensive shots, but I do think we missed quite a few shots.”
Elizabeth Williams gets up for a putback as part of her 15 point performance. (Brandon Collier / On Air Daily News)
Golden State started the game ice cold from the field, but found their stroke and began hitting open looks. Perimeter defense has been an exploitable aspect of the Sky’s game, which is precisely where the Valkyries looked to capitalize.
Much of the action they generated involved isolating backcourt defenders to get by them and bring in help defense, or it focused on forcing Cardoso to play defense outside the paint, freeing up a lot of space underneath. Guards Veronica Burton and Carla Leite finished with 18 and 11 points respectively, while center Iliana Rupert stretched the floor to knock down four of five threes off the bench.
Even then, the Sky used timely second chance points from Elizabeth Williams and a quick bucket of Cardoso’s to cut the deficit to a single point. With a chance to tie or take the lead, Nurse committed a costly turnover at the rim, which then sealed the game for the visitors.
Head coach Tyler Marsh took responsibility for the frustrating loss.
Rachel Banham faces tough defense from the Valkyries on a pullup jumpshot. (Brandon Collier / On Air Daily News)
“I thought the entire game came down to the execution, and Golden State was able to execute better than we were on both ends down the stretch…that starts and ends with me,” Marsh said.
Despite his sentiment, the box score was much kinder to the eyeball this time. Williams continued to thrive in her increased role without Reese, recording 15 points and eight rebounds. Cardoso wasn’t far behind with a double-double herself, consisting of 14 points and 11 boards, while Kia Nurse & Rachel Banham had seven assists apiece to go along with their double figure point totals. As a team, the Sky finished with 21 assists to only 10 turnovers for one of their better assist/turnover ratios on the season.
Still, lackluster contributions from the bench along with poor play in crunch time doomed them in the end.
Marsh has sailed through troubled waters in his first season as coach. He put forth a positive message for how his team should move forward the rest of the way.
“I think that we have to continue to use the togetherness that we have been building,” Marsh said. “At the same time, there's a level of professionalism to be a self-motivator, a self-starter, to finish out a season. We have a lot of games left to play. And so this season isn't over by any stretches. That's the mindset.
“That should be enough to continue to put forth the work ethic, continue to put forth the passion, the drive to be teammates. It's what we get paid to do, so we can't cash it in now. There's still a lot of basketball left to play.”
The Chicago Sky now sit at 7-20. They continue their homestand on Sunday against the Phoenix Mercury. There has been no update on if Ariel Atkins, Hailey Van Lith or Reese will be active.
Angel Reese and Michaela Onyenwere support their team from the bench late in the first half. Reese was sidelined with a back injury. (Brandon Collier / On Air Daily News)
SKY SPLIT A PAIR OF GAMES AGAINST THE LEAGUE-BEsT LYNX
Two close matchups in three days end two different ways for the Sky
The Sky bench celebrates a crafty finish by leading scorer Ariel Atkins in the second quarter of Saturday’s game. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)
By Andy Diederich
Sports Reporter
ON AIR Daily News
Wintrust Arena played host to two exciting matchups between the visiting Minnesota Lynx and the hosting Chicago Sky. The first game on Saturday afternoon July 12, 2025 turned out to be a stunning upset of the league’s top team, with the Sky defeating the Lynx 87-81. Monday’s game July 14, 2025 was another close battle until the Lynx pulled away late in the fourth quarter to win 91-78. All three contests between these squads this season have been back-and-forth dogfights, with the Lynx winning 2 out of the 3.
Saturday’s matinee matchup was the better game to watch for the Sky faithful. From the moment the doors opened, fans and players alike possessed an even more electric energy than normal, likely aided by the celebration of forward Angel Reese’s appearance on the NBA 2K26 cover. Fans in attendance received a shirt celebrating Reese’s 2K shirt, and the team certainly fed off that excitement.
“[In the] first quarter, I felt like I was at the blacktop in Baltimore… Ariel (Atkins) hit a shot and was just like ‘damn!’” Reese said postgame.
Angel Reese, defended by Napheesa Collier, goes up for a layup in the first half of Saturday’s game. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)
Indeed it was the tandem of Reese and Atkins that jumpstarted the Sky’s offensive production early. Reese accounted for 17 of the Sky’s 29 points in the first quarter, followed up by Atkins accounting for 12 of the Sky’s 28 points in the second. Both were able to feed off of an improved offense, as well as call their own number when necessary to get a bucket.
“Above all, I have to be aggressive,” Atkins said. “That’s how we get going, and if I am more aggressive throughout the game, I know it opens up things for my teammates, so I was just trying to keep my foot on the gas early on.”
Atkins ended the night with a game-high 27 points on 57% shooting, while Reese had 19 points on the same efficiency.
The team’s offensive flow also allowed for great nights from center Kamilla Cardoso and guard Rachel Banham. The 6 foot 7 inch Cardoso found space in the paint with ease, and either got a good-looking shot up or drew a foul to head to the line.
She finished with 17 points alongside Banham’s 12 points, with the sharpshooter finding some open three-pointers that were set up well by her teammates.
Ariel Atkins led all scorers with 27 points in Saturday’s contest. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)
The hot-handed Sky rode their offense to a 57-44 halftime lead. Still though, it was evident the top-seeded Lynx would punch back, and they certainly did. MVP favorite forward Napheesa Collier continued her historic production, winding up with 26 points on a 50% clip. Her and sharpshooter guard Kayla McBride’s four three-pointers accounted for a majority of the Lynx’s increased scoring in the second half, with McBride’s 14 of her 17 points in the third and fourth quarters. Sky head coach Tyler Marsh said with his team’s faster pace of play, however, that the defensive effort was something he was satisfied with.
“We came and were locked into the game plan,” Marsh said. “I thought it was a really good effort from us on both ends of the floor… but overall I thought our defensive effort was really what carried us tonight.”
Another huge difference in favor of the Sky was the domination on the glass. They outrebounded the Lynx 45-28, including 13 offensive rebounds to the Lynx’s seven rebounds. Reese and Cardoso pulled down 11 and 15 rebounds, respectively, netting them both a double-double and giving Reese her 8th straight double-double. Forward Michaela Onyenwere was active on the boards as well, grabbing seven of them despite only averaging around two per game this season. Even though the Sky lost the turnover margin 17-9, the extra rebounds over their opponents gave them second chance opportunities and disrupted the pace the Lynx wanted to play at. It was a key reason for their upset victory on Saturday.
Rachel Banham sizes up her defender Courtney Williams and looks to pass. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)
A confident Sky team headed into the rematch on Monday ready to once again shock the league. Early on in, the Sky were continuing to not only keep up with the Lynx, but possess meaningful leads as well. They sank four three-pointers in the first quarter alone to go along with seven Reese points. This time around, however, the Lynx exceeded the Sky in early production.
Forward Napheesa Collier and guard Courtney Williams combined to shoot 7 for 9 in the first 10 minutes, each scoring 10 points with two threes. The Sky responded in the second quarter with a huge run to propel them to a 10-point lead just before halftime, before the Lynx capitalized off some bad Sky turnovers to score eight points in 35 seconds to enter the locker room only down two. Marsh pointed to this as a catalyst for the Lynx.
“We ought to be able to capitalize when we have the lead to 10 points, but then they cut it to two going into the half,” Marsh said. “With a team like Minnesota, you can’t have those sort of lapses in that short of a time.”
With the Sky’s Atkins leaving the game with a leg injury at halftime, the momentum was now fully in Minnesota’s favor. They would finally recapture the lead in the third, aided by some timely scoring from guards Natasha Hiedeman and McBride.
The Sky’s starting five regroup after a foul call in Saturday’s matchup. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)
The Sky remained in striking distance, but without possessing an overwhelming rebound advantage like they did in Saturday’s game, they could not meaningfully make up for their plethora of bad turnovers and stagnating offense down the stretch. A reduction in second half scoring once again plagued the Sky as the wheels fell off in the fourth, giving the Lynx the 13- point victory.
Reese again finished with a double-double, her ninth straight and 15th on the season. Her final statline of 22 points and 10 rebounds led the team in both aspects, as did her five turnovers as well. She now leads the Sky in points, rebounds, and assists on the season. Reese has shown prowess in generating offense by herself, but the Lynx’s team defense created difficulties taking care of the basketball for her and the Sky.
“Tonight I needed to do a better job kicking it out and not turning the ball over,” Reese said. “I’m definitely going to beat myself up about this one because I turned it over again way too many times.”
Banham recorded 15 points but also finished with five turnovers. While guard Rebecca Allen had 10 points off the bench, Cardoso had limited opportunities in the paint and only had six points. Michaela Onyenwere left the game in the fourth after a hard collision with Cardoso. There haven’t been any official updates on the statuses of her or Atkins released yet.
Meanwhile for the Lynx, league leading scorer Collier had a game-high 29 points on 50% shooting and a perfect 11 for 11 from the foul line.
Angel Reese stares down the cameras after drawing a foul and finishing the layup. (John L. Alexander / On Air Daily News)
Joining her in double figure scoring for the Lynx were Courtney Williams with 18, Kayla McBride with 17, and Bridget Carleton with 11.
Overall, for the Sky to be able to say they took down the Lynx in even a single game is an enormous accomplishment. Monday’s performance certainly looked like the Sky were reverting back to their early season form, with far too many turnovers, inability to get back on defense, and struggles working the ball inside.
But for a majority of this pair of contests, the Sky proved that they can hang with, quite literally, the league’s best. This is a much different team than the one we saw get blown out in the season opener in Indiana, despite the 7-14 record.
Marsh spoke to his team’s mindset coming out of these games, and his message to his team heading into the All-Star break.
“I think we’re getting everybody’s best shot and we want everybody to get our best shot, no matter who we’re playing,” Marsh said.
Reese closed out her presser with a similar sentiment. “It wasn’t a fluke the other night,” Reese said. “We can beat the best…We know we can run with the best. We have to continue to put our heads down and continue to work and move on.”
BANGED UP SKY SQUAD STRUGGLE MIGHTILY AGAINST THE DREAM, 86-49
The Sky huddle up after Kamilla Cardoso draws a foul in the first half. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)
A Sky can’t find a win before the All-Star break without Reese, Atkins
By Andy Diederich
Sports Reporter
ON AIR Daily News
The Sky finished out a homestand before the All-Star break with a blowout loss to the Atlanta Dream Wednesday July 16, 2025.
Despite Wintrust Arena being packed with some of the Sky’s youngest fans on summer camp day, the extra energy did not stop the Dream from running over a Sky team missing two of its best, guard Ariel Atkins and forward Angel Reese. Both were listed out with a leg injury, but while Reese’s exclusion from the game seemed precautionary, Atkins showed up in a boot on her injured leg. Head coach Tyler Marsh had few updates to share on the severity of Arkins’ injury.
Ariel Atkins, center, and Angel Reese, right, were both out for Wednesday’s game. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)
“Ariel is still day-by-day… It’s her calf and lower leg,” Marsh said. “She felt it in the game (on Monday) and had to be evaluated.”
The Dream themselves were without second-leading scorer and All-Star forward Rhyne Howard, who is currently sidelined for the month with a knee injury. That didn’t stop the rest of the Dream’s roster from pushing the lead as high as 43 points early in the fourth quarter, thanks to five players finishing in double figures.
Veteran center Brittney Griner and all-star guard Allisha Gray led the way with 15 and 14 points each, in a game where they did not even need to play in the fourth quarter.
Zero Sky players recorded double-digit points. Rebecca Allen’s nine points off the bench was the high mark for Chicago, with Kamilla Cardoso and Elizabeth Williams with eight points apiece.
Rachel Banham defends the Dream’s point guard Jordin Canada off of a ball screen. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)
Rookie guards Hailey Van Lith and Maddy Westbeld saw extended playing time but combined to shoot 3 for 15 from the field.
The Sky shot 18 for 71 from the field overall for a 25.4% shooting clip, as opposed to the Dream’s 31 for 66 mark for 47% efficiency.
Needless to say, Atkins and Reese were surely missed. The pair account for a majority of the scoring as not only the team’s top-2 scorers but in sheer playmaking ability as well.
Without them on Wednesday, the Sky struggled to find any sort of open look in any consistent manner. Instead of the “structured freedom” offense that head coach Tyler Marsh has found success in installing, the Sky looked timid, frightened, and panicked. Possessions constantly ended in a heavily contested shot of some sort or a shot clock violation.
Kia Nurse and head coach Tyler Marsh discuss scheme during a Dream free throw late in the first half. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)
“Our pace wasn’t as high as it has been in the last couple games,” veteran big Elizabeth Williams said. “Pace and space is how we want to play and since we weren’t doing that, that allows their defense to thrive.”
Missing guard Courtney Vandersloot for the season as well certainly has done them no favors either. The veteran floor general is still out for the year with a torn ACL, forcing some guards like Rachel Banham and Van Lith to step into a point guard role and away from their usual shooting guard or wing spots.
Banham has impressed at times as a point guard, but neither her nor anyone else in the backcourt could jumpstart the Sky offense Wednesday.
The Sky gave the ball up 13 times, a mark higher than their 12 total assists as a team.
Defensively, it was a similar story. Despite some solid defenders active on the roster, Atkins and Reese are so vital to the Sky’s defensive identity and makeup that the Dream were able to simply overpower them.
Atlanta dropped 26 assists to only 10 turnovers all while winning the rebounding battle by 9. Kamilla Cardoso’s prowess alone wasn’t enough to prevent the Dream from outscoring the Sky in the paint 40-18.
Without Atkins and Reese suiting up, the contest was essentially over after the first quarter.
A lot was asked of the rotation to make up for the absence of two of the game’s best, whether it was Moriah Jefferson making her first start in 2 seasons or the rookies both logging at least 20 minutes.
Losing by 37 points is bad no matter the circumstances, but a team is judged by its ability to bounce back after tough losses.
Players and coach Marsh all spoke optimistically on taking advantage of the All-Star break to come out firing in the season’s latter half.
Rookie Te-Hina Paopao is defended by longtime veteran Moriah Jefferson. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)
“There’s positivity in that the break is coming at a great time for us to have a reset. Definitely won’t be like this coming back.” Michaela Onyenwere, one of the few returning players from last year’s roster, said.
Marsh echoed her sentiment in his postgame statements.
“We have to come back from the break understanding that we’ve been two completely different teams over the course of this season thus far,” Marsh said. “It’s on us to decide which team we want to be in that second half of the season.”
The Sky’s record now stands at 7-15, 11th overall in the league standings. Angel Reese is their lone representative in the All-Star game in Indianapolis this Saturday at 7:30 PM CST. The team returns to action at the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday, July 22nd.
DePaul Suffers Home Loss To Villanova After Big Win Against Seton Hall
By Kalia Butler
DePaul’s hopes for continuing their momentum from Sunday’s win over Seton Hall were dashed on Wednesday night, February 5, 2025, as they fell to Villanova at home, struggling to match the Wildcats’ performance.
“Credit to Nova, I thought they just made a few more plays,” said Head Coach Chris Holtmann. “Effort, fight, and bite—those were all terrific. It was a great execution of the game plan… we just couldn’t make enough open looks tonight.”
Adding to the team’s challenges, it was announced that redshirt junior guard Conor Enright would miss the remainder of the season.
Enright’s absence is a significant blow to the Blue Demons, as the veteran guard has been a key floor general and a crucial part of their offensive strategy.
With multiple injuries limiting the team’s depth, DePaul’s bench has been shortened. However, the team has embraced a “next man up” mentality.
“We’ve been playing very consistently, and no matter who is down, we just have to keep that going and have the next man ready,” said senior JJ Traynor.
The Blue Demons began the game with strong defense, forcing five turnovers from Villanova in the opening five minutes. DePaul took their first lead of the game, 11-9, when David Thomas sank a three-pointer.
Villanova responded immediately with a three of their own, reclaiming the lead.
Windy City Lose Close Game Against Texas Legends
The game remained close, and with the score tied at 22, Villanova made three consecutive field goals, taking a three-point advantage into halftime.
In the second half, DePaul came out strong, hitting a pair of three-pointers, but then struggled offensively, going scoreless for a stretch. This allowed Villanova to extend their lead to six points, 38-32. Chris Riddle hit a three-pointer to keep the Blue Demons within striking distance, but DePaul couldn’t close the gap before the Wildcats pushed their lead to eight points. Despite a valiant effort, including another three from Thomas and a three-minute scoring drought for Villanova, the Wildcats secured the win with timely three-pointers from Tyler Perkins and Eric Dixon, ultimately winning by 10 points.
Looking ahead, DePaul has a week to regroup and prepare for their next contest—a tough matchup against top-10 opponent Marquette. The Blue Demons will face the Golden Eagles at Fiserv Forum on Tuesday, February 11, at 7:30 p.m.
Windy City Lose Close Game Against Texas Legends
Windy City Lose Close Game Against Texas Legends
Windy City Lose Close Game Against Texas Legends
By Kalia Butler
Hoffman Estates, Ill. -The Windy City Bulls dropped a hard-fought game to the Texas Legends on Friday night, Jan. 3, 2025, falling 95-98 in a closely contested matchup.
Matas Buzelis, currently on assignment with Windy City from the Chicago Bulls, led the charge for the Bulls with 21 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks, co-leading all scorers in the contest. Julian Phillips, also on assignment from Chicago, made his G League debut for Windy City, recording a solid double-double with 18 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
“It was a tough game,” said Windy City forward David Muoka. “They’re high-level guys (Buzelis and Phillips) . They have a certain sense of experience from being in the league and a different skill set, so it’s great to play with guys like that.”
Muoka emphasized the importance of consistency and discipline, which ultimately eluded Windy City in the final moments.
Windy City Lose Close Game Against Texas Legends
The game got off to a rocky start for Windy City, as they trailed by four after the first quarter despite solid contributions from Buzelis and Phillips (7 and 6 points, respectively).
The Legends' bench proved to be a difference-maker, contributing 10 points to give Texas the advantage.
Texas extended its lead to as many as 14 points in the second quarter, but Buzelis' defense and six points from guard Alex Schumacher helped keep Windy City within striking distance by halftime.
Buzelis, who is no stranger to success in the G League after a 23-point, 10-rebound performance in his previous assignment, came through in the second half, scoring 10 points to help his team stay competitive.
However, despite the strong performances from Buzelis and Phillips, the Legends' Jordan Henderson proved to be the difference-maker. Henderson poured in 12 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, helping secure the victory for Texas.
Windy City Lose Close Game Against Texas Legends
Jarod Lucas co-led all scorers with 21 points, including five made threes, while Texas center Jamarion Sharp was dominant in the paint, collecting nine rebounds and adding 13 points.
Head Coach Billy Donovan noted that roster changes and injuries have played a role in the team's struggles but emphasized the adaptability of the G League environment.
"We don’t know if Matas and Julian will be with us tomorrow,” he said, referencing the uncertainty of their assignments.
“We’ve also got some guys out with illness and injuries, so we’re a little banged up. But that’s the beauty of the G League—you have to be ready for anything.”
Looking ahead to the rematch on Saturday, Donovan added with a laugh, “We have to figure out how to get Sharp away from the basket tomorrow. We also need to get back to our offensive identity and share the ball.”
Windy City will get another shot at the Legends when the two teams square off again on Saturday in Now Arena . Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM.
Windy City Bulls Suffer Loss at Home to Indiana Mad Ants
Bulls unable to recover from early shooting struggles and defensive lapses, fall 114-97 to the Mad Ants
By Emery Little
The Windy City Bulls fell short at home to the Indiana Mad Ants on Thursday, March 13, 2025 with a final score of 114-97, leaving the Bulls with a dismal 9-19 record and no chance of postseason play.
The first quarter felt hopeful for the Bulls with two early back-to-back threes from Ben Coupet Jr. and Emanuel Miller. The Bulls had several opportunities to sail ahead of the Ants, but a rushed offense and missed rebounds led to 7 lead changes in the first quarter.
Guard Javon Freeman-Liberty hit a late three-pointer to bring the Bulls within one, but a last-second shooting foul led the Ants to end the quarter ahead at 34-31. RayJ Dennis led the Ants with 13 first quarter points and ultimately earned his career high of 33 points as the game progressed.
The second quarter was back-and-forth, with the Bulls fighting to stay in the game with several key plays like a clutch three from Freeman-Liberty to help cut the deficit. The Ants went on a 7-0 run to take control with four minutes remaining in the second quarter, leaving the Bulls battling to catch up.
Fouled by Dennis with three seconds to go, Freeman-Liberty secured a four-point-play that kept the game within reach. The Bulls trailed by just three at the half (56-59).
The Mad Ants continued to pull away in the third, and the Bulls never regained the lead. The Ants' defense stifled the Bulls, and their offense kept pushing ahead with another double-digit quarter for Dennis. The Bulls were stuck chasing the Ants for the rest of the game. The deficit ranged from 6 to 7 points for most of the quarter before landing on 11 points heading into the fourth.
The Bulls struggled offensively throughout the game, shooting only 34 percent from the field while giving up 46 percent to the Mad Ants.
A brief 8-2 run from the Bulls in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter proved too little, too late. A late technical on Liddell further soured the Bulls’ performance, and the Bulls ended the game down by 17 points – their third straight loss.
Guard Jahmir Young led the Bulls with 21 points, followed by Freeman-Liberty’s 19 points. For the Ants, Dennis’s career high of 33 led the game, with 24 points coming from Dakota Mathias.
The Bulls will face the Raptors 905 on Saturday, March 15, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga, ON, CA.
SHORTHANDED DEPAUL ROSTER FIGHTS, FALTERS AGAINST VILLANovA
The Blue Demons continue to search for their third Big East victory this season
DePaul’s starting five regroups after CJ Gunn draws a foul in the first half. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)
By Andrew Diederich
Sports Reporter
ON AIR Daily News
The DePaul men’s basketball team was unable to takedown their conference opponent in Villanova on Wednesday February 5, 2025, falling by a score of 59-49.
The score speaks for itself, it was a forty-minute defensive battle with a ton of momentum swings that ended up favoring the Wildcats in the end.
DePaul entered the day knowing this matchup would be an uphill climb. Head coach Chris Holtmann announced that starting point guard Conor Enright will miss the rest of the season with a right shoulder injury.
CJ Gunn finishes off his steal with an emphatic jam at the other end. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)
Enright was the definition of a solid floor general for the Blue Demons, starting in all 23 games he played with averages of 7.5 points and 6.2 assists. On top of that, big man David Skogman and wing Troy D’Amico were also out of the lineup nursing ailments of their own. Despite the hobbled lineup, DePaul came out looking to win.
The Blue Demons scrapped and clawed their way to forcing over a dozen turnovers, including CJ Gunn’s total of six steals. It was clear the focus against this Villanova team, who is top 20 in the country in offense, was shutting off the interior scoring from the NCAA’s leading scorer, Eric Dixon.
Villanova’s Eric Dixon takes to the free throw line late in the second half. Dixon leads all scorers in the country with an average of 23.8 points per game. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)
The undersized Blue Demons were able to do just that, holding the veteran Dixon to just 4 of 14 from the field and forcing much of the Wildcat offense out of the paint. Coach Holtmann took this as a huge positive for his squad.
“I thought our defensive effort was as good as it's been all year,” Holtmann said. “I thought our bite and competitiveness was terrific. If we compete like this, we’ll play well, we’ll make shots more so than we did tonight.”
Unfortunately, as Holtmann alluded to, the other end of the court was not as friendly to the Blue Demons. DePaul finished the day shooting 30.8% from the field, going a measly 7-of-36 from the three-point line.
Head coach Chris Holtmann has led the Blue Demons to an 11-13 record so far in his first season. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)
While they certainly got themselves open looks throughout the game, the Demons struggled to establish a consistent offensive identity in their time with the ball. Key contributors such as Isaiah Rivera, Layden Blocker, and Jacob Meyer had their impacts made minimal, with Meyer even held scoreless. David Thomas and his season-high 16 points off the bench kept the Blue Demons within striking distance, however. Even with only 3 reserves, DePaul’s bench of Thomas, JJ Traynor, and Chris Riddle combined for 23 points, compared with 26 points combined for the startersThomas spoke postgame on maintaining his composure when his number is called.
David Thomas heads towards the hoop to notch 2 of his team-leading 16 points against Villanova. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)
“It's just unfortunate that we got some guys out, but coach has been telling me the whole season just stay ready,” Thomas said.”I just made sure that I come to practice not having a down mindset and practice like I'm going to play 30 minutes. I feel like that really helped me at this moment today.”
Holtmann said he did not have a timetable for the returns of David Skogman and Troy D’Amico, but said neither one is a “season-ending situation”.
Layden Blocker drives the lane and avoids the help defense to get to the basket. (Andy Diederich / On Air Daily News)
He concluded his postgame comments with some optimism on his young team’s development.
“I think we’d all love to be at full strength,” Holtmann said. “The difference between the last time we played them (Villanova) and now is night and day. This is the way this group has grown in the last month and gotten better.”
Villanova climbs to 13-10 overall and 6-6 in conference play, while DePaul falls to 11-13 and 2-11 in the Big East.
The Blue Demons have some time off before travelling to Milwaukee to take on Marquette on Tuesday, February 11th.
CHICAGO SKY HONORS PLAYER IN CEREMONY
Game Tying Basket Leads To Bulls Back-To-Back Losses Against Westchester Knicks
By Joshua M Hicks
Sports Editor
ON AIR Daily News
@joshuamhicksmedia
The Bulls suffered back-to-back losses against the Westchester Knicks in a 110-105 overtime nail-biter on Monday, January 20, 2025. On the day the country celebrated Martin Luther King Jr Day, the team sits at 5-6 in current action.
While the Knicks picked up where they left off in their previous game, the Bulls started off with a much better effort on both ends of the floor.
Behind the leadership of guard/ forward Jordan Hall, the team shot 45 percent from the field and 37 percent from the 3-point line. Hall started the game with an 11 point quarter that helped bring the Bulls to a 29-27 deficit.
The battle continued in the second quarter. The Bulls continued to fight, with guard Alex Schumacher and forward Emmanuel Miller stepping up with a combined 17 points in the half to keep the game close. But the team struggled to slow down the Knicks attack, allowing the Knicks to shoot 43 percent from the field and 37 percent from the 3-point line.
The Bulls went into halftime only with a three point deficit, down 55-52. The team maintained shooting 46 percent from the field, but regressed from the 3-point line, only shooting 27 percent from behind the arc to end the half.
Hall led the way for the Bulls with 15 points. Schumacher finished the half with nine points while Miller had eight points. The team continued to struggle shooting worse in the 3rd quarter. The team only shot 20 percent from the 3-point line. However, the game remained close, thanks to center Adama Sanogo.
Sanogo, who recently returned to the roster from a recent injury, came out aggressive, finishing the quarter with 14 points and 9 rebounds. His presence on both ends of the floor provided the Bulls stability, ending the quarter with a 78-78 tie. The Bulls ended up taking the lead to start the fourth quarter, thanks to Jordan Jackson’s offensive efforts.
But the Knicks remained steadfast, slowly climbing their way to tie the game thanks to a game-tying 3-point shot by guard Jamal Bey to send the game into overtime.
Despite a valiant effort, the Bulls lost their grip in the overtime, losing the period 7-2 that allowed the Knicks to secure the victory. The theme of the Bulls so far this season has been the lack of consistency.
Missed the latest game? Want to hear the story behind the score? Listen to ON AIR Daily News!
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ON AIR Daily News Sports Reporters Joshua Hicks and Andrew Diederich take you behind the scenes after the game to get the inside story! Sports Editor Joshua Hicks gets an inside view during his exclusive post game interview with Windy City Bulls Center Adama Sanago after the team's 106-97 victory against the Indiana Mad Ants during the 2024 Season.
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After going into another game where a lead was lost late in the game and ultimately leading to the loss of the game, head coach Billy Donovan III spoke on how turnovers and a lack of poise continue to derail the team from achieving consistent winning success.
GREENSBORO SWARM VICTORIOUS OVER Windy City Bulls 99-90
The Windy City Bulls Give Up 21 Point Lead To Earn Loss Against Greensboro Swarm
By Joshua M Hicks
Sports Editor
@joshmhicksmedia
The Windy City Bulls suffer their fourth loss of the season 99-90 against the Greensboro Swarm Saturday January 11, 2025. The team is now 3-4 on the season so far.
The Bulls get off to a strong 7-0 start to start the game behind the leadership of guard Alex Schumacher. Along with their offensive outburst, the team held a strong defensive presence, holding the Swarm to 30 percent shooting from the field and holding them without a 3-point shot.
With a strong defensive presence and offensive contributions from guard Jordan Hall, forwards Ben Coupet Jr and EJ Liddell, the team was able to maintain an 11-point lead at the end of the first quarter, 28-17. The team shot 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from the 3-point line.
The Bulls carried those same efforts on both ends of the floor to the second quarter. Though the Swarm made comebacks and the team began to cool off from their strong 3-point performance, the team maintained a strong showing offensively and made life difficult for the Swarm to score, holding them to 32 percent shooting and 12 percent from the 3-point line.
Forward Emmanuel Miller held down the fort, making timely baskets that helped the Bulls keep their lead heading into halftime. The team held a five point lead, 48-43, thanks to 52 percent shooting from the field. Miller led the team with 11 points, while Liddell had 9 points heading into the break.
The third quarter became the Liddell show, with him scoring 8 of the team’s 23 points to put their lead back into double-digits. But the Swarm continued to fight, creating a comeback that would cut their deficit to as low as five points.
The Bulls ended the third quarter with only a 73-68 lead.The Swarm completed their comeback, tying the game at 78 and ultimately taking a 83-82 lead with 4 minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Thanks to 28 points in the quarter and a collapse of the Bulls’ offense, the team was able to secure the victory, breaking the Bulls two game winning streak.
With the Bulls giving up a 21-point lead, head coach Billy Donovan diagnosed the reasoning behind the unfortunate downfall that led to them losing a game that they were in position to win.
“They went to zone [defense] and it definitely bothered us,” Donovan said. “That’s what good teams do sometimes. They try to mess up the game. Give them credit, they did a really good job executing down the stretch. They are 5-1 for a reason.”
While the zone disrupted their offensive rhythm, there were some positive signs that caught Donovan’s attention. Schumacher’s offensive presence in running the offense had solid moments that Donovan didn’t want to go unnoticed
“[Schumacher and Marcus Domask] being two rookies, there are going to be points and times where you have to live with their mistakes,” Donovan said.
“At the end of the day, I don’t want them thinking too much. Be aggressive and be you. We believe in your talent and capabilities. Just go out there and do the best you can. [Alex] has done a good job giving us a presence in the pass and presence in the paint.”
As the latest newcomer to the team, Miller recently signed with the team on a two-way deal before the Holidays. He discussed what his role will be on the team.
“My role is just to be myself,” Miller said. “The coaches believe in me, the Bulls believe in me, and they always tell me to just be myself. Continue to do the things that got me here and stay in the moment and be ready.”
Miller stayed ready today, scoring 23 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. Known for his defense, his offensive game showed in a positive way to enhance the team, especially in dry stretches throughout the game. For Miller, it is a sign of growth in learning this new offense.
“[I’m] getting more comfortable with the guys,” Miller said. “I got thrown into the mix and ever since then I’ve just been learning. Coaches have been great in executing and teaching me how [the team] plays. I’m getting more comfortable by the day.”
The Windy City Bulls will resume play with the second of a back-to-back game series against the Swarm tomorrow, Sunday January 12, 2025 at 2:00 pm at Now Arena.
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Windy city bulls defeat texas legends 89-88
Windy City Bulls Running Neck and Neck with Texas Legends in First and Second Quarter
Windy city Bulls forward EJ Liddell (32) maneuvers around Texas Legends forward Tanner Holden (24) to score , matching the Legends basket for basket. Photo by John L. Alexander/ON AIR Daily News.
HOFFMAN ESTATES - Two evenly marched teams went head to head at the NOW Arena Saturday night January 4, 2025, with the Windy City Bulls and the Texas Legends remaining virtually tied for the first three quarters of the game, both teams taking turns grabbing a slim 1 point lead.
The Windy City Bulls finally pulled ahead in the fourth quarter and for a few minutes held as much as a seven-point lead. But in the final dramatic two minutes of the game the Texas Legends pulled ahead 88 to 87, leaving Windy City team scrambling to regain its footing. A basket by the Windy City Bulls brought the score to 89-88 with just 15 seconds to go.
Defensive Moves From Both Teams Keep Scores Low
Windy City Bulls guard Jordan Hall attempts a layup around the reaching arms of Texas Legends forward Tanner Holden (24). Photo by John L. Alexander/ON AIR Daily News.
After the Bulls called a Time Out, the crowd rose to its feet chanting “Defense! Defense!” The Bulls managed to block two shot attempts by the Legends, and the clock ran out with a final score of 89-88, Windy City Bulls.
At left, Windy City Bulls guard Jordan Hall (13) struggles past Texas defense to give his team a brief third quarter lead. Above, Team Mascot Gus T. Bull entertains the crowd at Half Time with acrobatics, dunking the ball. The next Windy City Bulls game is Monday, January 6, 2025 at the NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates at 1:00pm. Photos by John L. Alexander, ONAIR Daily News.