Alanna Smith exited after five minutes with an injury to her face in the first quarter against the Chicago Sky on Saturday night, but the Dallas Wings held on to beat Chicago 93-92. Paige Bueckers delivered a 19-point, eight-assist, seven-rebound performance a
Alanna Smith didn’t get far into Saturday night’s clash with the Chicago Sky. Five minutes into the game, the Dallas Wings defensive-minded centerpiece suffered an injury to her face—and then, just like that, her night was over.
Smith will miss the rest of the contest after sustaining that face injury in the first quarter. “Alanna Smith will not return to tonight’s game after suffering an injury to her face in the first quarter,” reporter Myah Taylor wrote.
Smith is entering her eighth season in the WNBA. her first with the Wings after previously playing for the Minnesota Lynx. She earned Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2025 with Minnesota. and Dallas brought her in this past offseason with a clear goal: improve the team’s defense while pushing for a return to the playoffs.
Through the early part of the season, Dallas had been off to a strong start, even as Smith’s playing time dipped. Against the Sky, though, her impact was cut short at the five-minute mark, with the Wings forced to adjust on the fly.
The Wings still found a way to win. Down the stretch, Dallas made enough big plays to take a 93-92 victory over Chicago.
Paige Bueckers paced the offense with 19 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, two steals, and one block. She shot 7-of-16 from the field, including 1-of-5 from beyond the arc, and went 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. Jessica Shepard added 21 points and eight rebounds, while Azzi Fudd scored 13 points with five rebounds. Arike Ogunbowale contributed 12 points and three rebounds as Dallas held on for the win.
With the result, the Wings improved to a 10-6 record and sit in fourth place in the Western Conference standings. They are above the Portland Fire and the Los Angeles Sparks while trailing the Golden State Valkyries and the Las Vegas Aces.
Dallas now turns its attention to the next challenge. The Wings are set to travel for their upcoming matchup against the Seattle Storm on June 22 at 10 p.m. ET.
Alanna Smith Dallas Wings Chicago Sky WNBA face injury Paige Bueckers Jessica Shepard Azzi Fudd Arike Ogunbowale defensive player of the year June 22 Seattle Storm