Hartford, Conn. — Returning to the state where she became a college basketball icon, Paige Bueckers delivered another signature performance Thursday night.
The former UConn All-American scored 25 points, including 11 in the decisive fourth quarter, to lead the Dallas Wings to an 86-83 comeback victory over the Connecticut Sun before an announced crowd of 14,578 at PeoplesBank Arena.
The game, relocated from the Sun’s traditional home, brought fans out in full force to welcome back Bueckers and fellow former Huskies standout Azzi Fudd, the last two No. 1 overall selections in the WNBA Draft now wearing Dallas uniforms.
Bueckers once again proved why she has quickly become one of the league’s brightest young stars.
With the game hanging in the balance, the rookie guard hit the biggest shot of the night. She buried a step-back jumper while drawing a foul with 1:18 remaining, giving Dallas its first lead since early in the opening quarter at 80-78. Bueckers calmly converted the free throw to complete the three-point play and put the Wings ahead by three.
Connecticut refused to go away.
Aaliyah Edwards answered immediately with a three-point play of her own, knotting the score at 81-81 and setting up a dramatic finish.
Dallas regained control in the closing seconds after taking an 84-83 advantage. Connecticut had one final opportunity when guard Leïla Lacan held the ball for the last shot before driving into the paint, but her runner rolled off the rim.
Jessica Shepard secured the crucial defensive rebound and was fouled with just seconds remaining. The veteran forward calmly knocked down two free throws to extend Dallas’ lead to 86-83 with 2.9 seconds left.
The Sun were unable to create a clean look from beyond the arc before time expired, sealing the Wings’ comeback victory.
Dallas overcame a 14-point deficit behind another outstanding all-around performance from Bueckers, who also collected seven rebounds and seven assists while recording her fourth consecutive game with at least 25 points.
Shepard added 14 points in addition to her clutch finish at the free-throw line, while Alanna Smith provided a spark off the bench with 11 points as the Wings improved to 12-8 on the season.
Connecticut was led by Leïla Lacan’s 18 points. Brittney Griner recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Charlisse Leger-Walker contributed 14 points in the loss as the Sun fell to 4-16.
Up Next
The Wings continue their road trip Sunday against Toronto, while the Sun head to Minnesota for a Monday night matchup with the Lynx.
