We always knew it would come down to these two teams at the bottom. Riddled with injuries, both the Hive and Lunar Owls BCs have had difficult seasons. Key players were out for this matchup, including Sonia Citron, Natisha Hiedeman, and Azurá Stevens on the Hive, and of course, the ever-looming absence of Napheesa Collier from the Lunar Owls as she heals from ankle injuries sustained near the end of the 2025 WNBA season.
Despite both teams being out of playoff contention, this matchup was exciting from start to finish. Here are three things you may have missed from this game.
1. Marina Mabrey’s 5th 30-piece of the season
Marina was quietly hooping last night – no crashouts here! She had a 21-point first half that led into a somewhat quieter 12-point second half.
What a way to go out – this was Marina’s fifth 30-piece of the Unrivaled season, matching last year’s (and potentially this year’s, depending on how the playoffs go) MVP Chelsea Gray in 30-pieces for the season. This game elevated her to the Unrivaled points leader for the regular season, passing Gray to an average 25.3 points per game. She also leads the league in regular season 3-pointers made, with a cool 3.7 per game.
Averaging 1.81 points per minute, Mabrey’s efficiency took a minor dip from the Lunar Owls’ last game on February 23 where she averaged 1.89 PPM. Still, her play was impressive, especially combined with her season-best 3 steals, which she’s consistently increased throughout the season.
Despite missing the playoffs, Marina should be proud of all that she’s accomplished this season – she’s hit her stride offensively and continues improving her defense. Although she was snubbed for the All-Unrivaled first and second teams, Marina proved her worth this Unrivaled season, and her performance will certainly boost her standings in free agency for the 2026 WNBA season.
2. Monique Billings’ almost-dunk
Kevin Durant in the house meant the players had something to prove. Prior to 20 year-old Dominique Malonga’s third (!) Unrivaled dunk in the low-scoring Breeze-Laces game, Monique Billings sent it down the court, attempted the dunk, and barely missed (both the dunk and the basket).
Everyone seems to want to dunk on the Lunar Owls – Malonga’s first two dunks were against the Owls, and this attempt was almost a third. It was an exciting proof-of-concept of a Mo Billings dunk, and although the Hive is out of playoff contention, it may be a taste of what’s to come for the Valkyries if we have a 2026 WNBA season.
3. Bec Allen’s half-court shot
Bec Allen has had a tough season. The Aussie and Chicago Sky player has averaged an underwhelming 3.77 points per game this season on the Lunar Owls. When Bec had the ball right before the game clock ran out, she made a half-court heave that swooshed into the basket – just a fraction of a second too late.
It was an impressive move from a player whose stats are notably unimpressive this Unrivaled season. With Napheesa Collier out for the season, many fans were hoping to see Bec making an impact on the Lunar Owls. She makes real plays on Fenerbahçe in EuroLeague and has a long resume, but has struggled since her September 2024 back surgery. Still, this was a glimpse of her skill, and regardless of her performance this season, Unrivaled was surely a masterclass in player development for Allen this year, and if she returns to the Sky, she will surely be a better player for having participated.
This matchup was full of almosts – two teams that almost made the playoffs, an almost-dunk, an almost-buzzer beater from half court – and an exciting match regardless of the fact that neither of these teams have a post-season. These players have given it their all this season despite facing adversity, and this was a formidable last game of the season for both clubs.
Next stop: playoffs!
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