'Try to Reflect That Every Single Time': Paige Bueckers Posts Double-Double in Minnesota Return as Dallas Wings Fall to Lynx

Bueckers, 23, controlled tempo and created opportunities throughout the night, including a clutch assist to Carrington for a three-pointer that brought Dallas within a single possession late.

“Having the ball in my hands a little bit more, trying to create plays for my teammates and for myself,” Bueckers said. “A lot of times we’re just making the right play as a team.”

Fellow UConn alum Collier praised Bueckers’ early adjustment to the pro game.

“I think Paige is going to be really good. She’s a three-level scorer, great passer,” Collier said. “Rookie year is hard, so I’d tell her there are going to be ups and downs. But she’s staying aggressive and that’s what she needs to do—lead her team and take advantage of the opportunity. She’s going to play a lot of minutes, and I’m excited for her.”

Arike Ogunbowale Hits Milestone in Strong Performance

Ogunbowale led Dallas with 21 points and knocked down five 3-pointers, tying Diana Taurasi as the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 500 career made threes. She reached the milestone in her 198th game, becoming the first Wings player to do so.

“She’s a legend,” Ogunbowale told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “Anytime you can make an imprint in this league—it’s such a hard league, a lot of great players are playing now—being in the league is special. I was glad I was able to celebrate a little bit in the locker room with my team.”

She hit two threes during a 15–5 Dallas run to open the game, helping the Wings build a seven-point lead before Minnesota surged ahead. Her final three came with 36 seconds left to cut the deficit to two, but it wasn’t enough.

“This was a better game,” Ogunbowale said. “Obviously, we want to win. We’re gonna keep getting better. We still got what, 41 games left? But this is a step.”

Dallas Wings’ Defensive Pressure, Late Rally Fall Just Short

Dallas forced a season-high 19 turnovers and tallied nine steals—both season bests. They scored 21 points off Minnesota’s miscues and limited the Lynx to 12.5% shooting from three in the second half after Minnesota hit 53.3% in the first two quarters.

“I thought their ball pressure was terrific,” Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve said. “Their game plan was solid. Of course, when you have players like [Arike Ogunbowale and Paige Bueckers] on that side, they were going to bring their best effort.”

Carrington added 11 points, four steals and a critical three in the fourth. She also drew a Flagrant 1 foul in the third quarter that helped swing momentum. Myisha Hines-Allen matched her 11 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished three assists in 27 minutes, finishing with a team-best plus-minus of +12.

“She’s a vet,” Ogunbowale said of Hines-Allen. “She knows how to play the right way. She makes the right read and she’s a dog. We always know she has our back through whatever.”

NaLyssa Smith added eight points and seven rebounds. Maddy Siegrist contributed seven points and three rebounds off the bench, including a second-half corner three and a key putback. Tyasha Harris added six points in 14 minutes with a pair of threes.

The Wings entered the fourth quarter down eight but steadily closed the gap. Hines-Allen converted a coast-to-coast and-one, and Carrington followed with a deep three off a Bueckers assist. After another Bueckers-to-Ogunbowale triple, Dallas trailed just 83–81.

But a late foul sent Collier to the line with 8.3 seconds left, and she sealed the win with two made free throws.

“Even when they went on a run, we weren’t pointing fingers,” Collier said. “We stayed focused on what needed to change.”

Dallas held advantages in points in the paint (28–24), second-chance points (13–6), and points off turnovers (21–10), but was out-rebounded 43–27.

“Our response in totality and our ability to execute a game plan stood out,” Wings head coach Chris Koclanes told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “I thought we found disruption on Courtney [Williams], we found disruption on Napheesa a bunch. But putting them on the free throw line 27 times is a lot. We have to continue to be physical—but not that much.”

Koclanes emphasized his pride in the team’s approach despite the 0–3 start.

“Proud of our effort and our response,” he said. “Just trying to figure out how I can continue to help this team, help these players, and help them feel more comfortable. Continuing to move this thing along at an accelerated pace.”

Looking Ahead

Despite the loss, Bueckers remained focused on building the identity of the team from the inside out.

“We’ve been talking about as a team—just being where our feet are,” Bueckers said. “Not really focusing on any exterior things, but what we want to be as an interior group and what we want to be as an organization and as a team.”

“We’re so blessed to be able to play in this league and at this level, to be in this organization with this team,” she added. “You try to reflect that every single time you play—with the passion and joy and heart that you play with. So you take it and carry it with you wherever you go.”

Dallas (0–3) will stay on the road to face the Atlanta Dream on Saturday, May 24, at Gateway Center Arena. Tipoff is set for 2:00 p.m. CT and will air on CBS Sports Network and KFAA.

Minnesota (3–0) travels to Las Vegas to face the defending champion Aces on Sunday, May 26.