UConn Legend Paige Bueckers Posts Career-High in Return to WNBA

Bueckers, hitting 13-of-19 from the field, joined elite company by becoming the third rookie in WNBA history to reach at least 35 points and five three-pointers next to Caitlin Clark and Cynthia Cooper. Her tally was also two short of the WNBA high for any player this season (shared by Kelsey Plum and Bueckers' fellow Wing Arike Ogunbowale) and shattered the top mark for any WNBA freshman this season (previously held by Wednesday opponent Lexi Held).

Alas for Bueckers and Co., the effort wasn't enough to prevent another Dallas loss, as the Wings (1-10) dropped their sixth in a row in a showdown against former franchise face Satou Sabally. Beyond the five from Bueckers, no one on the North Texas roster sank a three-pointer and non-Bueckers shooters sank only 16-of-48 from the field.

Despite her epic performance, Bueckers assumed responsibility in the aftermath.

“I was coming back from a break and I feel like I could have used my voice more, been more disruptive, crashed the glass more,” Bueckers said in a report from The Guardian. “So as I get my wind under me, I’ll be better in those areas. But like I said, just trying to contribute in other areas and whatever that looks like on any given night and will try to put my full effort toward that.”

Bueckers perhaps saved her best defense at the end of the game, strategically placing herself in front of a camera trying to capture a postgame exchange between Sabally and teammate DiJionai Carrington.

The professional grind continues for Bueckers on Friday night as the Wings hit the road again to face the Las Vegas Aces (10 p.m. ET, Ion).

Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags