AU Hoops athletes make a splash this week in the WNBA

1. NaLyssa Smith breaks single-season franchise record for double-doubles

AU Hoops 2023 Champion NaLyssa Smith passed Tamika Catchings and Teaira McCowan for the most double-doubles in a season in Indiana Fever franchise history. She recorded her 13th double-double on Sept. 10 to help lead the Fever (13-27) to an 87-72 victory over the Minnesota Lynx in the final game of the regular season. Smith had 16 points and 11 rebounds.

 

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2. Courtney Williams records second career triple-double

Courtney Williams closed out the Chicago Sky regular season with her second career triple-double, scoring 23 points with 16 rebounds and 13 assists on Sunday night against the Connecticut Sun. This is Williams’ second career triple-double and the sixth in Sky franchise history.

Williams was on a hot streak, averaging 20.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game over three games this past week. It earned her WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors. This marks the third time in her career receiving the honor and is the only Sky player to do so this season.

As part of her triple-double, Williams eclipsed the 3,000 career points mark, notched a career-high 16 total rebounds, and tied her career-high in assists with 13. She is the only player in WNBA history to record 20+ points, 15+ rebounds, 13+ assists and 2+ steals in a game.

 

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3. Natasha Cloud sets the Mystics’ single-game assists record

Point guard Natasha Cloud is in the Washington Mystics record books yet again, setting the franchise record for assists in a single game. She was previously tied with former teammate Ivory Latta with 13 but passed the mark on Friday night. Cloud reached her previous record in the first three quarters and closed out with 15 assists overall.

She is now one of just seven players in WNBA history to reach 15 assists in a single game.

Cloud is the single-season assists record holder for AU Hoops and Washington – she owns the top three marks for assists in a Mystics season, including her career high of 239 in 2022. She has 1,254 career regular-season assists.

 

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4. Jordin Canada dishes out franchise single-season record for assists

Jordin Canada has also been dishing out assists and picking up franchise records along the way this season with the LA Sparks. Canada set the Sparks’ single-season record with 221 assists with one game to go in the season. She upped that to 228 for the 2023 season in their finale against Seattle.

She broke Ticha Penicheiro’s record of 220 assists, which was set in 2010.

 

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The Mystics and Sky are both in WNBA playoff contention. You can watch Natasha Cloud on Friday, Sept. 15 at 7:30 p.m. ET against the NY Liberty and then see Courtney Williams and the Sky take on the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday, Sept. 17 at 3 p.m. ET.

Savanna Collins is the Digital Media Reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Twitter @savannaecollins.