Paige Bueckers (No. 5) of the Dallas Wings had a solid 20-point performance to galvanize her team to an 80-71 victory over the Golden State Valkyries at College Park Center. (Photo: Rachel Schuoler | The Podium Finish)
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Wings finally found redemption at home, notching their first regular season home win at College Park Center in a hard-fought 80–71 victory over the Golden State Valkyries on Tuesday night.
Snapping a seven-game losing streak, the victory breathed new life into a team that had come agonizingly close in recent outings. Paige Bueckers led the charge with a composed 20-point performance, adding four rebounds, two assists and four steals while playing with the poise of a seasoned veteran.
“It means a lot just in terms of us trying to build confidence and getting over the hump,” Bueckers said. “We felt like we’ve been in a lot of these games and they’ve been close. So to close one out and get the win at home, emotionally it makes us all happy and we want to continue to build off that.”
After a string of late-game collapses, Tuesday night marked a shift in energy and execution for head coach Chris Koclanes’ squad.
“You just saw a different effort consistently, a different connectivity out there, just a different will and want,” Koclanes said. “That came out. You saw it on the boards late and just in general, but definitely a different physicality and desire about us right from the get-go.”
Dallas opened strong, leaning on early contributions from Myisha Hines-Allen and Arike Ogunbowale, who combined for 28 points. The Wings took a 21–17 lead after the first quarter, using grit and hustle to disrupt Golden State’s rhythm. The Valkyries kept it close heading into halftime, trailing only 40–35, but the Wings never let up.
A shake-up in the rotation — including veteran Kaila Charles coming off the bench — paid dividends. Charles delivered 10 points, five rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes, providing the steady presence Dallas needed.
Kaila Charles (No. 3) returned to the Dallas Wings with professionalism, class and grit to catalyze her team to a win over Golden State. (Photo: Rachel Schuoler | The Podium Finish)
“It’s just an incredible response,” Koclanes said. “To be able to live through the last 72 hours [after being waived] and still have the impact that she had — that’s the ultimate pro.”
Still, it wasn’t just the scorers making the difference. As Bueckers emphasized, the win was a collective effort.
“There were so many key people in the game that the stuff doesn’t even show up on the box score,” she said. “But I feel like this is really just a full team effort. Everybody who played tonight made an impact in some way.”
Perhaps most impressive was the Wings’ defense. Dallas held Golden State to just one point in the final five minutes of regulation — a sharp contrast from earlier games where late lapses proved costly.
“I think we did a really good job of applying what we learned from last game,” Bueckers said. “We needed to get stops and just relied on our defense to take us home.”
Hines-Allen backed it up with energy and toughness, finishing with nine points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Her postgame vibe echoed the team’s relief.
“I’m a little hyped,” she said, smiling. “It’s been a long time coming… I think this was like a growing moment for us. We stuck together. We got stops when it mattered. And I think that’s what got us this win.”
Li Yueru made her Wings debut and immediately made her presence felt with strong interior play and effort on both ends.
“She has great size and presence, and then she can get down and really keep people in front,” Koclanes said. “I think the crowd is enjoying her with how hard she plays.”
And that home crowd made its voice heard all night long. Playing in front of a loud, loyal College Park Center audience, the Wings finally rewarded their fans.
“The way the crowd supported us tonight — they were our sixth woman on the court,” Bueckers said. “They’ve stuck with us through the wins and losses and they continue to show their support.”
Adding to the night’s electricity was a special guest in the front row — Geno Auriemma, Bueckers’ coach at UConn.
“It was cool,” she said. “It’s definitely weirder for him to be a spectator and a fan, I guess. But I could just hear him in the back of my mind — all the lovely things he would have to say.”
Beyond the numbers, Bueckers continued to show growing maturity and poise in managing high-pressure moments. Her 20 points were timely, her defense relentless, and her leadership evident throughout.
She even brought levity to the press conference with a nod to her drink of choice — a limited-edition Shirley Temple-flavored Gatorade.
Paige Bueckers (No. 5) of the Dallas Wings got to showcase her Gatorade Shirley Temple flavored drink after an 80-71 win against the Golden State Valkyries. (Photo: Rachel Schuoler | The Podium Finish)
“It’s my favorite drink of all time,” she said with a laugh. “So they put it in the Gatorade flavors. It’s pretty fire.”
Koclanes praised his team’s physicality and rebounding — two areas that proved decisive.
“We took 15 more shots than them,” he said. “Fourteen offensive rebounds — Kaila and DiJonai [Carrington] with four apiece — that’s a part of our identity. We talk about it, we teach it, we emphasize it.”
He also highlighted the effort of Yueru and credited her energy and joy as infectious for the group.
“Excited to continue to keep getting her in the mix,” he added.
The Wings improved to 2–11 with the win, and while there’s still a long road ahead, the players and coaches agree — this one could be a turning point.
“We don’t want to get complacent,” Hines-Allen said. “This is our second win, but we want to keep building.”
They’ll have a quick turnaround with the Connecticut Sun coming to town. But if Tuesday night is any indication, the Wings might finally be turning the corner.
For one night in Arlington, Dallas didn’t just compete — they closed.
Next Stop
After a rest day, the Dallas Wings take on the Connecticut Sun at Mohegan Sun Arena for a Friday night matchup at 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT which will be live on ION. On May 27, the Wings defeated the Sun, 109-87, with Bueckers scoring 21 points.
Golden State Valkyries: By the Numbers
Monique Billings (No. 25) of the Golden State Valkyries tallied 18 points against the Dallas Wings, her former team. (Photo: Rachel Schuoler | The Podium Finish)
| Player | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kayla Thornton | 35 | 5‑11 | 2‑6 | 5‑6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 17 |
| Stephanie Talbot | 21 | 0‑3 | 0‑2 | 0‑0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Monique Billings | 32 | 7‑14 | 0‑0 | 4‑4 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 18 |
| Veronica Burton | 27 | 1‑8 | 1‑4 | 1‑2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Carla Leite | 27 | 2‑6 | 1‑1 | 4‑4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 9 |
| Laeticia Amihere | 24 | 6‑7 | 0‑0 | 2‑3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 14 |
| Tiffany Hayes | 22 | 3‑10 | 2‑4 | 2‑2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Kate Martin | 8 | 0‑1 | 0‑0 | 0‑0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Dallas Wings: By the Numbers
A jubilant Dallas Wings squad celebrates their first home win of the 2025 WNBA season. (Photo: Rachel Schuoler | The Podium Finish)
| Player | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Myisha Hines‑Allen | 28 | 4‑6 | 0‑1 | 1‑3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
| NaLyssa Smith | 28 | 3‑10 | 0‑0 | 0‑0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Arike Ogunbowale | 36 | 7‑19 | 3‑8 | 2‑2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 19 |
| Paige Bueckers | 39 | 9‑18 | 0‑5 | 2‑2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 20 |
| Azaiah James | 17 | 1‑6 | 1‑4 | 0‑0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Li Yueru | 13 | 1‑3 | 0‑1 | 0‑0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Kaila Charles | 24 | 2‑6 | 1‑2 | 5‑6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| DiJonai Carrington | 22 | 3‑10 | 1‑5 | 5‑6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| JJ Quinerly | 4 | 1‑1 | 1‑1 | 0‑0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
