Paige Bueckers scored a season-high 31 points as the Dallas Wings beat the Phoenix Mercury 85-70 in Arlington, Texas. Dallas built a 45-33 halftime lead, surged in the third quarter, and closed out the game after a late offensive foul gave the Wings a decisive
ARLINGTON, Texas — Paige Bueckers put the Dallas Wings on her back from the opening stretch, scoring 31 points in a season-high display that carried the Wings to an 85-70 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday night.
Bueckers scored 24 points in the first half, going 11-for-14 from the field. She capped the momentum with a 3-pointer with 54.2 seconds left to give Dallas a 45-33 lead.
Dallas kept pulling away after that. The Wings outscored Phoenix 25-16 in the third quarter, building their advantage as high as 22 points. Even when Phoenix tried to claw back, the lead slipped only so far—down to 80-70 with 1:28 remaining after Dallas sat Bueckers with a comfortable cushion.
Phoenix couldn’t make the last push. On its next possession, the Mercury was called for an offensive foul, and Li Yueru converted a three-point play with 42.5 seconds left. That made it a 13-point game and effectively sealed it.
Bueckers finished with six rebounds and five assists in 31 minutes. Her 30-point performance marked the 17th such game of her season, and the third of her career—her first since setting the rookie scoring record last August.
Jessica Shepard added 17 points with 10 rebounds and seven assists, while Azzi Fudd also scored 17 for Dallas (8-4). Shepard secured her 26th career double-double and her seventh of the season.
For Phoenix (4-10), Lexi Held led the scoring with 17 points. Kahleah Copper finished with 13 points after going 3 of 10 from the field. Alyssa Thomas had six points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.
Phoenix begins a three-game homestand on Saturday against Los Angeles. Dallas plays at Portland on Saturday.
WNBA Dallas Wings Phoenix Mercury Paige Bueckers Jessica Shepard Azzi Fudd Li Yueru Lexi Held Alyssa Thomas