Wings Rebuild Defense Before Mystics Clash Monday Night

Wings rebuild – After a 90-86 loss to Minnesota on Thursday, the Dallas Wings closed two days of practice on Sunday with a clear mission: fix defensive slippage, limit dribble penetration, and protect the glass and the paint. With Azzi Fudd integrating a new set of play calls

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Wings didn’t just run drills on Sunday. They tried to rebuild the kind of defensive “default” that disappears when games tighten and communication breaks down.

With the Washington Mystics arriving for the finale of a three-game homestand. Dallas closed two days of practice one day before hosting Washington at College Park Center. The urgency is easy to feel. The Wings are 1-2 after a 90-86 home loss to the Minnesota Lynx on Thursday. and head coach Jose Fernandez said Saturday’s session was about their own execution before Sunday’s focus shifted fully to Washington’s scouting report.

Fernandez described the work as controlled and practical: use practice time to adjust what the Wings can control, then prepare for what’s coming.

“I thought it was great to be able to get in the gym and practice and worry about things that you can control and work on. and we did that today. ” Fernandez said. “Finding the right balance between how much you can do and how much you can get up and down the floor is important. We did that yesterday and we did that today.”.

The defensive targets were specific. Fernandez pointed to problems at the rim and the “lane” the team has been leaving too open.

“Post defense, without a doubt, and the glass,” Fernandez said. “We’ve also been hurt with dribble penetration, people getting in the lane and straight-line drives, just keeping people in front of us.”

Alysha Clark said the two practice days—rare this late in the calendar—helped the Wings rebuild a standard they can all share, especially on a roster still early in its timeline.

“We knew our defense wasn’t great, and there was slippage. People were falling back to whatever baseline they were used to from previous organizations or previous seasons here,” Clark said. “We wanted to reestablish a new baseline for this group so when stuff hits the fan. we all fall back to the same baseline. We have [four] games in seven days coming up. and you don’t really have time to practice. so you have to build good habits now.”.

That shared baseline matters even more with Azzi Fudd still building continuity inside the offense. The No. 1 pick in this year’s WNBA Draft said the extra repetitions and live action offered something film sessions can’t.

“Just having more time. more reps. and time to actually go up and down and play through things instead of just talking about it. ” Fudd said. “Sometimes it’s hard to just talk about it. You actually have to go live. play through it. and go through those actions with the different lineups you’re going to see on the court.”.

Fudd spent five seasons at UConn before turning pro, and she said the hardest part of the transition is internal—learning new play calls and defensive commands under pressure.

“I was there for five years. so all of their play calls and defensive calls are ingrained in my brain. ” Fudd said. “We even have a couple plays here with the same calls as UConn. so it takes me a second to realize it’s not the UConn play I’m running. Just making that flip and adjusting on the fly when I hear a call and making the right read. with time. I’ll get there.”.

She also credits veterans Odyssey Sims and Clark for making the adjustment smoother when the pace forces her to think faster.

“They can see my brain turning. They can see whatever just happened in that play. and they’re going to come to me and correct me. give me advice and tips on what to do and how to navigate things. ” Fudd said. “I’m so fortunate to be on a team with vets and people with experience who are willing to help me.”.

Washington enters Arlington at 2-1 after a last game that required overtime to win, 104-102 at Indiana. Fernandez said the Wings’ priority is to keep the ball away from the frontcourt of Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin.

“We’ve really got to fight, and there can’t just be direct entries. They do a good job freeing those guys up,” Fernandez said. “But the most important thing is if the shot goes up, we can’t give them second and third opportunities, which they do a really good job of creating.”

To disrupt Washington’s rhythm, Fernandez said the defensive work starts by denying Sonia Citron clean catches in key areas.

“She can’t catch it in the elbow area. You can’t get caught topsiding her because Citron does a good job getting the ball to the elbow and curling around. ” Fernandez said. “You’ve just got to make sure you keep Sonia in front of you. and she can’t get wide-open looks. You can’t let really good players have uncontested shots.”.

He also said he does not want Dallas guards switched onto Washington’s bigs, after pointing to Paige Bueckers’s post matchups against Natasha Howard in the Minnesota loss.

“We don’t want her on Natasha Howard or Kiki or Austin. As much as she probably thinks she’s got them bigger and she might, we’ve got to get our guards out of there,” Fernandez said. “Especially in transition defense, we’ve got to get them out of the paint.”

Clark said she expects Washington’s young guards to test the Wings for a full game.

“They have a lot of really young guards that play hard, and you have to match that energy for the entire game,” Clark said.

Clark also offered a firsthand look at what Washington has been building. She played for the Mystics last season alongside Citron and Iriafen, and she said both have carried momentum from their rookie years.

“They’re playing phenomenally right now, and it’s no surprise,” Clark said. “Watching them this year. Kiki’s dominating on the boards. and I can see her confidence and where she put that work in during the offseason. Sonia’s poise even last year as a rookie was so impressive to me. and I see it elevated even more this year.”.

In the meantime, Fernandez said managing Fudd’s health and minutes remains a priority as the rookie gets up to speed.

The Wings close their three-game homestand Monday against the Mystics at College Park Center. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT on Peacock.

Dallas Wings Washington Mystics Jose Fernandez Azzi Fudd Alysha Clark Odyssey Sims Kiki Iriafen Shakira Austin Sonia Citron Paige Bueckers Natasha Howard WNBA