Connecticut Sun vs Dallas Wings
87 109
Photos By: Nancy J. Dagata
HOMECOMING BLACKJACK: Bueckers Hits 21 as Wings Cash First Win at Mohegan
Dallas Wings 109, Connecticut Sun 87 — May 27 2025 | Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT
Game Flow
A sold-out Mohegan crowd welcomed Paige Bueckers back to Connecticut with the familiar roar usually reserved for her UConn days—but the rookie guard quieted the cheers in a hurry. After Connecticut edged the opening quarter 24-23, Bueckers commandeered a blistering 33-18 second stanza, ripping through traps for paint scores and spraying skip-outs that left Dallas up 56-42 at half.
The Sun clawed back behind Tina Charles’ post mastery and Marina Mabrey’s perimeter heater, matching Dallas bucket-for-bucket in a 32-32 third frame. When the deficit dipped to 12 early in the fourth, Bueckers re-entered, drilled a runner, threaded a no-look dime to DiJonai Carrington, and the Wings never saw single digits again, closing on a 21-13 stretch to seal their first win of 2025—and the first of Bueckers’ pro career.
Star Performers
Dallas Wings
Paige Bueckers (R)21 pts • 8-10 FG • 7 ast • 5 reb • 2 stl
Arike Ogunbowale19 pts • 6 stl • 4 ast
DiJonai Carrington16 pts • 5-9 FG • 4-4 FT
Bench Boost: Maddy Siegrist 12 pts
Bench Boost: Aziaha James 10 pts
Connecticut Sun
Tina Charles27 pts • 9-14 FG • 7-7 FT • 6 reb
Marina Mabrey19 pts • 4-9 3FG • 4 reb
Olivia Nelson-Ododa6 pts • 5 reb • 3 ast
Bench Boost: Bria Hartley 12 pts
Turning-Point Sequence
7:02 – 3:15, 2nd Q: Bueckers scored or assisted on 14 of Dallas’ 18 points, flipping a one-point deficit into a 14-point lead that the Wings protected the rest of the night.
On Tour Magazine Analysis
- Composed Comeback-Killer: Bueckers posted 21-5-7 on just 12 possessions used, committing only three turnovers against a Sun defense geared to crowd her every touch.
- Chaos Creation: Ogunbowale’s six steals ignited an 18-6 fast-break edge—Dallas’ first game this season with double-digit run-outs.
- Sun Stuck in Neutral: Connecticut relied on Charles and Mabrey for 46 % of its shots; secondary creators never arrived, and the fourth-quarter half-court sets devolved into late-clock bail-outs.
- Rookie + Vet Synergy: Carrington’s slashing complemented Bueckers’ pace manipulation, while Teaira McCowan’s screens punished switches that tried to keep Bueckers out of the lane.
What’s Next
- Wings (1-4): Travel to Atlanta on May 30, looking to build momentum around the Bueckers/Ogunbowale backcourt.
- Sun (0-6): Host Phoenix on May 31, aiming to snap the league’s longest active skid and rediscover balance beyond their post anchor.
On Tour Magazine — delivering the story beyond the score.