Brooklyn, NY—–Dallas Wings used a dominant second-half surge Sunday afternoon to defeat the New York Liberty 91-76, spoiling the highly anticipated return of Sabrina Ionescu to the lineup.
Dallas was powered by another outstanding performance from rookie star Paige Bueckers, who finished with 24 points, while fellow rookie Azzi Fudd exploded in the third quarter to completely shift momentum in favor of the Wings.
Fudd caught fire after halftime, scoring 17 of her season-high 24 points during a spectacular third-quarter shooting display. After missing her first attempt from beyond the arc in the period, the No. 1 overall pick connected on her next five three-pointers, including a high-arcing bank shot that extended Dallas’ lead to double digits and energized the Wings bench.
Dallas knocked down seven three-pointers in the third quarter alone, turning a tightly contested game into a comfortable advantage heading into the final period.
The Liberty attempted to respond in the fourth quarter, but Dallas consistently answered every push behind the playmaking of Bueckers and the scoring ability of Arike Ogunbowale, who added 19 points in the victory.
The matchup marked the season debut for Ionescu, who had missed New York’s first five games after suffering a foot injury during a preseason contest against Connecticut. The Liberty guard showed flashes of her usual explosiveness early, scoring quickly while also setting up teammates with several sharp assists.
Ionescu finished with 11 points, seven assists, and five rebounds in her return. One of her highlights came late in the first half when she drilled a deep three-pointer, but Dallas’ defensive pressure limited her offensive rhythm for much of the second half.
Satou Sabally led New York with 20 points in just her second game back after recovering from a concussion suffered during last season’s WNBA Finals while playing for Phoenix. Sabally showed aggressiveness offensively throughout the afternoon, but the Liberty struggled to slow Dallas’ perimeter attack once the Wings caught momentum.
New York also continued to play without Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, who remains away from the team for personal reasons.
The victory improved Dallas to 4-3 on the season as the Wings continue building chemistry around their young backcourt stars. Meanwhile, the Liberty dropped back to .500 at 3-3 after suffering their second straight defeat.
