Paige Bueckers walked into Mohegan Sun Arena on Tuesday night with familiar sights, sounds, and stakes. But this time, it wasn’t as UConn’s star guard. It was as a pro, trying to help a winless Dallas Wings squad find its first victory of the season. She delivered.
Bueckers scored a career-high 21 points on 80 percent shooting to go along with seven assists, five rebounds, two steals, and a block in Dallas’ 109–87 win over the Connecticut Sun — the team’s first win of 2025, improving to 1-4 through five games.
“It felt great,” Bueckers said after the game. “Just to play like that as a team—and obviously that environment is special to me—but to be able to play like that as a team and put a full 40 minutes together and come out with a win and stay connected throughout the entire game… it felt good to be out there.”
Paige Bueckers: “I Don’t Think I’ve Ever Lost Here”
The return marked Bueckers’ first professional game in Connecticut, and she stayed unbeaten at Mohegan Sun Arena — one of the venues where she built a legacy as one of the best players in UConn history. Her comfort was obvious from the opening tip. She scored seven points and dished out four assists in the first quarter alone, helping the Wings build early momentum.
“Honestly, I don’t really think about it,” Bueckers said with a smile. “I don’t think I’ve ever lost here, so I tried to carry that into tonight.”
The moment was symbolic — a convergence of past and present, nostalgia and next steps. Returning to a gym that had once been the center of her collegiate stardom, Bueckers looked every bit like a rising WNBA star. She showcased a mature poise as a point guard, orchestrating sets with composure and confidence, and found teammates in rhythm while controlling the pace throughout.
It was far from a solo performance. With friends, family, and former Huskies teammates like Ice Brady, Caroline Ducharme, and Jana El Alfy in the stands — and fans sporting a mix of UConn and Wings jerseys — the night had a celebratory tone. But Bueckers remained locked in on the task at hand.
“Just taking what the defense was giving me,” Bueckers explained. “My teammates did a great job at setting screens, getting me open, creating rhythm and flow, and letting me get to my spots.”
The UConn support has extended well beyond just Bueckers’ return to Connecticut. Several members of the 2025 national championship team have followed her rookie season closely, showing up in multiple cities. K.K. Arnold was spotted at several Wings home games in Arlington, proudly wearing Bueckers’ No. 5 jersey. Azzi Fudd attended Dallas’ matchup against her hometown team, the Minnesota Lynx, and later joined Bueckers again in Atlanta for the Wings’ game against the Dream.
Dallas Wings Show Major Progress
Dallas had struggled to close games in its first four contests. But on Tuesday, the Wings set season-highs across the board — shooting 56.1 percent from the field, dishing out 26 assists, recording 10 steals, and posting a +8 rebounding margin — and got contributions from 11 different scorers in their most complete performance yet.
“I think I’ll remember the most probably the 26 assists on 37 made shots, and how we played together as a team,” Bueckers said. “How unselfish we were, and how much we looked like a team. That reflected in the numbers.”
It was a night of milestones for the rookie guard as well. Bueckers became the fastest player in WNBA history to record at least 60 points and 30 assists in her first five games, passing Suzie McConnell-Serio’s previous mark. She also became the first rookie ever to post a 20-5-5-2 stat line while shooting 80 percent or better from the floor.
“There’s definitely stuff we need to improve and clean up on,” she added. “But to put it together like that — it felt good to be out there.”
The performance wasn’t just efficient — it was dynamic. Bueckers dominated in mid-range, turned the corner on ball screens with ease, and found cutting teammates in stride. Her ability to toggle between scoring and facilitating with such balance gave Dallas a needed edge and energized a team that had often looked disjointed in earlier games.
A Night of UConn Connections
In addition to the fans and former teammates in the stands, Bueckers also shared the court with two former Huskies in opposing uniforms — Tina Charles and Olivia Nelson-Ododa. Charles led the Sun with 27 points, while Nelson-Ododa played 13 minutes off the bench.
At one point during a free throw, Bueckers said she and Nelson-Ododa briefly forgot they were on opposite teams. Bueckers and Nelson-Ododa played together for two seasons, from 2020 to 2022.
“At the free-throw line, I went to fill a spot and Liv stuck her hand out to high-five — just muscle memory,” Bueckers said. “We laughed. To be able to share the floor with them after everything we’ve done — especially with Liv — it’s like playing with my sister.”
When asked about her surprise guests in the crowd, Bueckers beamed.
“They’re great — I love them,” Bueckers said. “Just to have their support means everything. They’re a huge part of my story and me even getting to this stage of my career. I love them to pieces.”
Dallas Wings Seek Strong Close to Road Trip
Tuesday’s win felt like a much-needed turning point. The Wings finally saw their hard work and adjustments translate into results. Koclanes had stressed the importance of “connected offense” from day one of training camp — and Tuesday, the vision took shape.
“That’s been our theme since training camp,” Koclanes said. “It’s not about who gets the shot — it’s about the quality of the shot. Can we trust the pass? Can we trust the next action? When we do that, good things happen. Tonight was an example of that coming together.”
For Bueckers, who had called for more discipline, ball movement, and rhythm after Saturday’s loss in Atlanta, it was satisfying to see her words turn into execution.
“Get more movement, get out in transition, create more spacing for each other,” Bueckers said. “For me, calling more offensive sets, get into a rhythm, we’re all still learning each other… and just sticking to our process.”
That process now heads to Chicago, where the Wings will face the Sky on Thursday night at Wintrust Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT. With the momentum from Tuesday’s win — and Bueckers’ continued emergence as a go-to option — Dallas will look to build consistency and find footing in the early weeks of the season.
