Kaitlyn Chen scored 32 points for the Rhythm on Friday evening in a 103-94 victory against the Gold Rush.

Recap: Chen's 32 Points Lead Rhythm Past Gold Rush, 103-94

Eric Rhew

Feb 21, 2026

NASHVILLE — Guard Kaitlyn Chen and center Tina Charles combined to score 58 points, including 39 in the second half, as Rhythm pulled away after the intermission to secure a 103-94 Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball victory over Gold Rush at Nashville Municipal Auditorium on Friday evening.

The win elevated Rhythm’s Week Three record to 1-1, while Gold Rush dropped to an identical 1-1 mark.

Chen scored a season-high 32 points and dished out five assists to lead Rhythm to the victory while earning MVP 1 honors and 566 leaderboard points. Charles, meanwhile, was honored with MVP 3 recognition after collecting her second double-double of the season with 26 points and 10 rebounds.

Guard Zia Cooke came off the bench to contribute 14 points, while guard Rebekah Gardner added 11 points with six rebounds. Forward Isabelle Harrison completed the group of four double-digit scorers for Rhythm after chipping in 10 points with eight rebounds.

Guard Odyssey Sims led Gold Rush in the loss by scoring 30 points with six rebounds and six assists to garner MVP 2 accolades and 421 leaderboard points. Forward Aneesah Morrow poured in a season-high 25 points with seven rebounds, while guard Te-Hina Paopao netted a season-high 15 points.

KEY MOMENT

Rhythm overcame a three-point halftime deficit by opening the second half with a 25-11 run to take a 69-60 lead on a three-point play by Charles with 2:08 left in the third quarter. Gold Rush trimmed the deficit to 97-92 on a Sims lay-up with 1:12 left in regulation, but Rhythm scored six straight points to seal the victory.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Sims continues to hold the top spot on the leaderboard with 3,930 total points, while Gardner trails by just 135 points entering Saturday’s Week Three finale. Chen, meanwhile, rose four spots into fifth place with 3,231 leaderboard points.

RHYTHM NOTES

Rhythm initiated a captain’s challenge with 7:15 remaining in the second quarter on an out-of-bounds call, which was successful.
Rhythm also requested a captain’s challenge on an out-of-bounds call with 1:33 left in the fourth quarter, which was successful.
Rhythm became the fourth team to score 100 or more points in a game this season … The team’s 103 points are the second-highest single-game total this season behind the 110-point outburst by Glow against Rhythm on February 11.
Rhythm scored 59 points in the second half against Gold Rush, marking the highest second-half output by a team this season … Eclipse previously held the mark with a 57-point explosion in Friday night’s first game.
Rhythm became the first team to have two players score 25 or more points in the same game since February 15, 2025, when guard Odyssey Sims and forward Maddy Siegrist accomplished the feat for Team Siegrist.
Chen has now scored in double figures in 7-of-8 games this season, including the last four outings in a row … She also joined Sims as the only players to post a 30-point performance this season.
Chen’s 32 points are the most by a player in a single game this season, eclipsing the 31 points Sims scored against Rhythm on February 11.
Charles registered her second double-digit rebounding effort this season, equaling her 10-rebound performance against Eclipse on February 6.
Charles has now scored in double figures in 7-of-8 games this season, including a pair of 20-point efforts in her last three outings.
Guard Zia Cooke extended her streak of consecutive double-digit scoring outputs to 14 games after her 14-point effort on Friday.
Rebekah Gardner has reached double figures in scoring in 7-of-8 games, including the last five in a row, with her 11 points against Gold Rush.

Next Game for Rhythm: Saturday, February 21, vs. Eclipse (6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT)

GOLD RUSH NOTES

Gold Rush requested a captain’s challenge with 4:18 left in the third quarter on a foul called against center Kiah Stokes, which was unsuccessful.
Gold Rush saw its streak of 26 consecutive free throws snapped when Stokes missed the first of two attempts with 6:24 remaining in the fourth quarter … The team has now converted 33-of-34 free throw attempts through two games this week.
Guard Odyssey Sims authored the 16th 30-point game of her AU Pro Basketball career, extending her league record … In addition, she has now scored in double figures in 60-of-62 career games, including the last 32 outings in a row.
Sims finished Friday’s game with a perfect 9-for-9 performance at the free throw line, becoming the first player in the league this season to post a perfect effort with at least eight free throws … It is the ninth time she has accomplished the feat in her five-year Athletes Unlimited career.
Morrow, who has scored in double figures in 7-of-8 games this season, became the second player in the league to score 20 or more points off the bench in a game this season … Guard Bree Hall tallied 25 points against Eclipse on February 7.
Stokes has grabbed 10 or more rebounds in three of her last four games after doing so just once in her first four outings.