Jaylyn Sherrod dribbling ball down the court in orange and grey Glow jersey during an AU Pro Basketball game

Recap: Sherrod, Glow hold off Rhythm to secure 80-78 victory

Eric Rhew

Feb 18, 2026

NASHVILLE — Forward Natasha Mack hit a jumper with 5.5 seconds remaining in regulation to lift Glow to an 80-78 Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball victory over Rhythm at Nashville Municipal Auditorium on Wednesday morning.

One of four Glow players to score in double figures, Mack tallied 14 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field while adding a season-high 17 rebounds to secure MVP 3 distinction and 510 leaderboard points.

Guard Jaylyn Sherrod paced Glow with a career-high 15 points and six assists to earn MVP 1 honors with a career-high 565 leaderboard points.

Guard Kayana Traylor added a season-high 15 points, while guard Sarah Ashlee Barker chipped in 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the floor.

Rhythm was led by guard Rebekah Gardner, who earned MVP 2 accolades after netting a season-high 18 points after going 7-for-13 from the field with a pair of three-pointers and six assists.

Guard Kaitlyn Chen contributed 14 points, while center Tina Charles and forward Emma Cannon each tallied 12 points. Guard Zia Cooke came off the bench to post 11 points for Rhythm.

KEY MOMENT

After Gardner evened the score at 78-all with 28.2 seconds left, Charles reclaimed the Glow advantage when she nailed a jumper from the free throw line. Rhythm had a chance to tie the score, but guard Kaitlyn Chen missed a lay-up with 2.0 seconds
remaining.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Gardner remains in the top spot on the overall leaderboard with 3,379 points, while Mack remains in second place with 3,283 points. Barker rose five spots into fourth place and owns 2,684 total points after her 400-point effort on Wednesday.

RHYTHM NOTES

Rhythm remains the only winless team in the league after falling to 0-7 on the season.
Guard Rebekah Gardner dropped to 3-1 as a captain this season after suffering her first loss as a team leader.
Gardner and guard/forward McKenzie Forbes lost for the first time this season, ending their six-game personal win streaks … Guard Kierstan Bell is the only player in the league who has not lost a game entering Wednesday’s Gold Rush-Eclipse matchup.
Center Tina Charles has now scored in double figures in 6-of-7 games this season after pouring in 12 points on Wednesday.
Forward Emma Cannon authored her fourth double-digit scoring performance in seven games this season.
Gardner has scored in double figures in 6-of-7 games this season, including the last four in a row, following her 18-point performance against Glow on Wednesday morning.
Guard Kaitlyn Chen has scored in double digits in 6-of-7 outings this season, including each of her last three games, after scoring 14 points.
Guard Zia Cooke has scored in double figures in 13 consecutive games dating back to the 2024 season.

Next Game for Rhythm: Friday, February 20, vs. Gold Rush (9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT)

GLOW NOTES

Glow initiated a captain’s challenge with 2:09 left in the fourth quarter on a defensive foul called against guard Sarah Ashlee Barker, which was successful … Teams are now 6-for-16 in challenges through 13 games.
Glow, who has fashioned a 6-1 record this season, has now won five consecutive games.
Glow’s 80-78 victory over Rhythm marked the 11th game in league history to be decided by two points or less … It is also the closest margin of victory this season.
Forward Natasha Mack made her debut as a captain against Rhythm on Wednesday … Captains now own a 14-15 record in their initial game over the league’s five seasons, while Mack becomes the 25th team leader to claim a victory.
Mack also authored her league-leading fifth double-double of the season after finishing with 14 points and 17 rebounds … Mack has collected 15 or more rebounds in 3-of-7 games this season, which is tied for the league lead with forward Aneesah Morrow.
Mack has posted three or more blocked shots in 5-of-7 games this season after swatting three shots on Wednesday … Her 23 blocked shots through seven games stand second on the league’s all-time chart behind Emily Engstler, who tallied 28 rejections in 2024.
Barker has now scored 10 or more points in six straight games after being limited to just six points in her season opener.

Next Game for Glow: Friday, February 20, vs. Eclipse (6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT)