Paige Bueckers had a great and victorious homecoming, securing the Dallas Wings’ first win of the season after crushing the Connecticut Sun 109-87 on the road.
The Mohegan Sun Arena once again saw the former UConn star shine: Paige contributed 21 points to the game. This is the highest number of her career, and she became the first player in WNBA history to score at least 60 points and 30 assists in the first five games of her career.
This victory is also the Wings’ first this season after four losses. But it is even more comforting to think that they not only managed to break this season’s losing streak, but also the one they had been carrying over from last year. Dallas had not won in 13 games.
Similarly, their 109 points are historic, as they were only 8 points shy of Dallas’ record and is the highest score so far this season.
Paige’s words and analysis
Her return to Connecticut was most satisfying for Bueckers because, after the game, she was able to put into words what a victory in the stadium meant: “I don’t think I ever lost here. I was trying to carry that into tonight,” she said.
However, she also stressed that the team has to keep working and continue with the unity they showed against the Sun: “There’s definitely stuff we need to improve and clean up on,” she admitted.
Bueckers wasn’t the only one who shone
Coach Chris Koclanes also analyzed his first victory this season and admitted that it puts his mind at ease: “More than anything, I just felt a sigh of relief for them, like it’s just frustrating, right, and we’re doing lots of good things, and we couldn’t get over the hump, so now we can put that behind us and continue to focus on the big picture of what we’re trying to do,” the coach said.
Like Bueckers, Koclanes highlighted the unity of Dallas and emphasized that “everyone contributed” and that is “what we are looking for” in the team.
Although he knows there are areas for improvement, the Wings head coach said: “We have lots of tools and lots of versatility, and it might not look the same every night, so I’m just continuing to preach that and encourage everyone to be ready. The more we can buy into that and you know, ‘not my night, your night, your night, our night,’ ultimately, um, the more success we’re going to have.”
Next goal: Chicago
Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings will face Angel Reese’s Chicago Sky on Thursday, May 29, at Wintrust Arena Chicago. But on Saturday, May 30, they will meet again at College Park Center. Will they be able to keep their winning streak going?
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