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Unrivaled: The Phantom’s & Mist’s Intense Road to the Finals

Originally posted on Dice City Sports
By Jesse VanDerveer | Last updated Mar 3, 2026 9:42 AM ET

The No. 1 seed Phantom and No. 2 seed Mist are heading to the finals after two hard-fought wins at a sold-out Barclays Center. Both teams survived their semifinal matchups, and now the title feels wide open.

Phantom’s Road to the Finals

The Phantom finished the regular season as the No. 1 seed at 11-3, and they looked like the favorite entering the postseason. They backed it up, too. With a first-round bye, they jumped straight into the semifinals and drew the No. 6 seed Vinyl in a game that swung back and forth all night.

Kelsey Plum stole the show with 31 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists while shooting 63.2 percent from the field. She also buried the dagger 3 late to close it out and send the Vinyl home in an 83-75 win.

Dearica Hamby kept the Vinyl alive with 30 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists, but it was not enough. The game featured a 30-point scorer on both sides, and the intensity matched the sold-out crowd from start to finish.

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Mist’s Road to the Finals

The Mist followed a similar path to the finals, earning a first-round bye before advancing to the semifinals. There, the No. 2 seed faced the No. 5 seed Breeze in what turned into the most intense game of the postseason so far. The Mist held off the upset bid with a 73-69 win, even as Paige Bueckers and Dominique Malonga each flirted with 20-point double-doubles for the Breeze.

Still, the Mist had the closer shot-making when it mattered. Breanna Stewart and Arike Ogunbowale combined for 44 points in under 20 minutes each, and both hovered around 50 percent shooting from the field. They played like they came to Brooklyn to finish the job.

Now the stage is set for a finals matchup loaded with star power and big-game experience. With the championship set for March 4, fans are clearing schedules and grabbing tickets to see who gets crowned the second Unrivaled champion.

This article first appeared on Dice City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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