Dallas Wings Battle Hard in Loss to New York Liberty, 88-77

Arike Ogunbowale (No. 24) of the Dallas Wings led a second half charge against the New York Liberty with her 17 point effort. (Photo: Rachel Schuoler | The Podium Finish)

ARLINGTON, Texas — The New York Liberty extended their winning streak to three games Friday night with an 88–77 victory over the Dallas Wings at College Park Center, but the Wings left no doubt they are a team growing in character and resilience despite the scoreboard.

Dallas, missing star guard Paige Bueckers due to a back issue, leaned heavily on its veterans and emerging chemistry to stay competitive throughout the night. While New York’s balanced attack and experience ultimately proved decisive, the Wings’ fight and togetherness gave fans plenty to cheer for — and signs that this team’s best days may still be ahead.

The Liberty set the tone early, jumping out to a 28-15 lead after the opening quarter behind sharpshooting from Sabrina Ionescu and strong inside presence from Emma Meesseman and Jonquel Jones. Ionescu led all scorers with 16 points, adding six assists and six rebounds, orchestrating New York’s offense with veteran poise.

Meesseman added 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, while Jones chipped in 14 points and played a key role in defense and rebounding. Leonie Fiebich also scored 14 points, energizing the Liberty’s offense with timely shots.

Dallas, however, refused to wilt under pressure. Arike Ogunbowale paced the Wings with 17 points and six rebounds, driving aggressively to the basket and creating opportunities for teammates. Maddy Siegrist added 15 points, providing a scoring spark off the bench, while Myisha Hines-Allen contributed 12 points and seven rebounds in a vital all-around effort.

After a rough first quarter, the Wings began chipping away at the deficit. Their defense tightened in the second and third quarters, forcing turnovers and contesting shots aggressively. Grace Berger added six points, showcasing her versatility, while Diamond Miller’s seven points highlighted the team’s depth and potential to mesh through adversities.

Despite trailing by as many as 19 points, Dallas’s energy and fight kept the game close in the second half. Their third-quarter surge narrowed the gap and sent a message that the Wings were not willing to roll over.

That spirit was reflected in the locker room, where veteran leadership has helped shape a resilient and tight-knit group. Hines-Allen put the team’s mindset and chemistry into perspective.

Myisha Hines-Allen (No. 2) provided 12 points for the Dallas Wings in a competitive but tough loss to the New York Liberty at College Park Center. (Photo: Rachel Schuoler | The Podium Finish)

“I mean, we’re in every game. So it’s it’s showing that we’re still sticking together. The locker room is strong,” Hines-Allen said. “That’s never been an issue. As soon as I got here, like, that was one of the things that we focused on was making sure that we get to know each other beyond the basketball court. So, I mean, the locker room is strong. So that’s what you see on the court.

“It’s little lapses that we have, which we’re all new. In my opinion, that’s why we can’t finish out a game. But we’re in every game, we just got to figure out how to get over the hump. Good vibes for the most part. We like each other. But, there’s definitely room for improvement, right? Because we are 8-23. So there’s definitely room for improvement on how to finish in close out games.”

Arike Ogunbowale, who led all scorers with 17 points, emphasized how the Wings need to start more efficiently and reducing live ball turnovers to challenge a tough squad like New York despite closing the gap from 16 to three points in the second half.

“They’re an amazing team, a great team. We were just handing them the ball in the first quarter. Yes, they were holding good defense. But we were also passing it right to them,” Ogunbowale said. “Cleaning up the turnovers, they got probably 10, 15 points off of just that in the first quarter and that put us in the hole. And then we had to climb out of the hole. With a team like that, especially a team that just won the championship, climbing out of a hole. you have to play your best, best basketball. And then you had to stop them.

“It’s kind of hard to score everything and stop them, a championship team. We put a lot of the pressure on ourselves to get out of that hole with turning it over. I think we did better on holding them to the three-pointers even though they still had 10 and they still got a lot up, but I think we got a hand up more so than we did on Tuesday. I think the first half, just the turnovers and they were having their way with us, and in the second half, we came out with more energy and more intent on defense.”

Wings head coach Chris Koclanes praised the collective spirit and perseverance his squad has maintained through a trying season.

“Credit to our veterans, credit to our locker room and credit to their intention again, to stay together, to focus on the process more than the outcome. And to focus on each other and, again, control our narrative and really be about the right things and want to continue to lay solid foundation and solid footing here in Dallas as we continue to go forward,” Koclanes said after the game.

The Wings’ determination was on full display late in the fourth quarter as they battled to pull within striking distance multiple times, fueled by Ogunbowale’s aggressive drives and Hines-Allen’s inside presence. But New York’s balanced attack and composure at crunch time ultimately closed the door.

The Liberty’s bench played a crucial role down the stretch, maintaining defensive pressure and chipping in key baskets to keep the Wings at bay. Natasha Cloud’s 10 points and three assists helped maintain New York’s rhythm, while Isabelle Harrison and Stephanie Talbot contributed valuable minutes off the pine.

Grace Berger (No. 9) of the Dallas Wings catalyzed her team’s efforts off the bench against the New York Liberty. (Photo: Rachel Schuoler | The Podium Finish)

Miller and Berger kept fighting to create second-chance opportunities for Dallas and defend New York’s shooters. Despite their best efforts, the Wings fell just short, unable to fully overcome the experience and depth of the Liberty.

New York’s veteran core now looks to keep building momentum as they approach the season’s final stretch and prepare for a playoff push.

For Dallas, the loss is another tough step in a long season, but the team’s growth, chemistry and refusal to quit are the silver linings. With several new faces adjusting to one another, the Wings are still finding their identity but have laid the groundwork for a more competitive future.

The locker room’s strength, as Hines-Allen noted, has never been an issue. The challenge lies in translating that unity into finishing games.

The Wings have a long road ahead, but nights like Friday — when they push a strong Liberty squad to the brink — showcase the heart and potential this team possesses.

They will look to build on this performance in upcoming games, with veteran leadership and young talent hoping to translate promise into results.

Next Stop

Dallas concludes its brief, two-game home stand with the Washington Mystics (13-17) coming to town with former Wings guard, Jacy Sheldon, and star rookies Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron, making their only appearance at College Park Center on Sunday at 3 p.m. CT.

New York Liberty: By the Numbers

Sabrina Ionescu (No. 20) of the New York Liberty had another solid performance against the Dallas Wings with 16 points. (Photo: Rachel Schuoler | The Podium Finish)

Dallas Wings: By the Numbers

Arike Ogunbowale (No. 24) of the Dallas Wings played with confidence and determination against the New York Liberty. (Photo: Rachel Schuoler | The Podium Finish)