Maddy Siegrist (No. 20) of the Dallas Wings led her team in scoring in a challenging game against the Las Vegas Aces. (Photo: Christopher Vargas | The Podium Finish)
LAS VEGAS — The Dallas Wings mounted flashes of resilience but ultimately fell, 106-87, to the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday night at Michelob ULTRA Arena. Despite a valiant effort from Paige Bueckers and Maddy Siegrist, the Wings struggled to contain the Aces’ high-powered offense, which was paced by a relentless A’ja Wilson and sharpshooting from Chelsea Gray.
The game began with both teams trading early opportunities. Luisa Geiselsöder and Bueckers set the tone for Dallas, but the Aces’ experience quickly showed. Wilson scored on a 12-foot pullup jumper at 9:08, followed by Gray assisting on Jackie Young’s 25-foot triple, giving Las Vegas a 5-2 advantage. The Wings responded immediately, with Bueckers driving to the hoop for a layup and Haley Jones connecting from deep to tie the game at five apiece just over a minute into the opening frame.
Despite Dallas keeping pace early, turnovers and fouls began to swing momentum. By 6:56, NaLyssa Smith had converted two free throws for Las Vegas, stretching the lead to 12-9 after a shooting foul on Geiselsöder. Moments later, Siegrist drained a 25-foot three-pointer, tying the score at 12 and reminding the Aces that the Wings’ young core could compete when executing efficiently.
The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair, with Dallas briefly taking a 20-17 lead after a driving layup from Jones at 3:55. But a flurry of quick baskets from Wilson and Gray restored the Aces’ edge, closing the quarter at 31-27 in Las Vegas’ favor. The Wings showcased offensive sparks but struggled to maintain defensive consistency, an issue that would plague them throughout the night.
Early in the second quarter, the Aces widened the gap with a series of timely baskets and free throws, including a three-point flagrant free throw sequence by Gray at 8:06 that extended the lead to 36-29. Dallas fought back with Siegrist and Bueckers combining for key baskets—Siegrist’s 6-foot step-back jumper and Bueckers’ driving layup—but turnovers continued to hamper the Wings’ rhythm.
“I think it’s easy to just take like be like, oh, we’re a young team. They’re an experienced team. But, you know, we just have to be better all the way around,” Siegrist said after the game. “I think, you know seeing like okay, this is a very successful team. How are they successful? You want to, you know, be able to learn from it. You know, and I think as a group, we’re learning. You know, we’re getting a lot of really good shots offensively. And now it’s just going to be on the defensive and just taking a little more pride there.”
Paige Bueckers (No. 5) had another strong outing for the Dallas Wings with 18 points against the Las Vegas Aces. (Photo: Christoppher Vargas | The Podium Finish)
Bueckers displayed her usual dynamism, hitting jumpers and driving aggressively to the rim. By the 3:26 mark of the second, she had knocked down a 7-foot jumper and converted a free throw, keeping Dallas within striking distance at 40-47. Yet Las Vegas’ balanced attack, including Aziaha James’ 2-point contribution and Gray’s three-point shot, kept the Wings from closing the gap. The first half ended 55-44 in favor of the Aces.
In the third quarter, the Aces continued to pressure Dallas defensively. Wilson’s midrange game and Gray’s court vision stretched the Wings’ defense thin, forcing turnovers that led to fast-break points. The Wings’ response came largely from Siegrist and Bueckers, who combined for several driving layups and short jumpers, but the Aces maintained control. Wilson and Jewell Loyd added timely baskets, widening the lead to 81-66 by the end of the third quarter.
Wings head coach Chris Koclanes emphasized the learning opportunities in these matchups.
Dallas Wings head coach Chris Koclanes emphasizes for his team to excel on the defensive end after Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Aces. (Photo: Christopher Vargas | The Podium Finish)
“We’ve got to be better defensively. I think our offense is coming along,” Koclanes said. “Everyone’s feeling comfortable with our spacing and our actions and playing unselfish basketball and sharing the ball. Now we have to have a more consistent desire and more improved execution and just a relentless attitude.
“Every night when we go out there, we’re going to be playing all stars, the best players. We just have to fight harder, more consistently to be able to compete on that end more consistently.”
Dallas started the fourth quarter with Bueckers driving for a layup at 4:08, showing her trademark determination, but the Aces countered immediately. Gray and Wilson orchestrated an 11-0 run over four minutes, combining interior scoring with outside shooting to push the lead to 93-74. Despite Diamond Miller’s late quarter layups and Bueckers grabbing offensive rebounds, Las Vegas’ depth and efficiency proved too much.
The Wings’ rotation highlighted the growing pains of a young roster. Players like Geiselsöder, Jones, and JJ Quinerly had moments of impact, yet the team struggled to sustain defensive stops or convert consistently on the offensive glass. Siegrist’s leadership on both ends stood out, including multiple rebounds and a key block against Wilson, but it was insufficient to alter the outcome.
Aziaha James (No. 10) of the Dallas Wings chipped in nine points off the bench against the Las Vegas Aces. (Photo: Christopher Vargas | The Podium Finish)
Throughout the night, Dallas showed flashes of offensive cohesion. Siegrist’s pick-and-roll awareness facilitated open shots for Bueckers and Jones, while Geiselsoder’s perimeter shooting kept Las Vegas honest. Yet, repeated turnovers and the Aces’ ability to capitalize on mistakes underscored the experience gap.
The final minutes saw Bueckers and Siegrist continuing to push the pace, with Bueckers finishing with multiple driving layups and Siegrist adding short-range jumpers. Dallas fought valiantly, but the scoreboard reflected the Aces’ dominance, finishing 106-87.
Despite the loss, the Wings demonstrated resilience and flashes of brilliance. Bueckers’ aggressiveness in transition and Siegrist’s interior scoring were key positives. The team’s young core now has tangible takeaways for the remainder of the season, as lessons learned against Las Vegas provide a benchmark for growth.
With leaders like Siegrist and Bueckers continuing to push the pace and set the tone, Dallas remains a team with promise, even if they were outmatched by a championship-caliber opponent in Las Vegas.
Next Stop
The Wings conclude their brief, West Coast swing with a Wednesday night duel against the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena, looking to refine their defensive schemes and maintain offensive spacing while minimizing turnovers.
Dallas Wings: By the Numbers
Paige Bueckers has scored 10 or more points in 28 consecutive games in her rookie season with the Dallas Wings. (Photo: Christopher Vargas | The Podium Finish)
| Player | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | +/- | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maddy Siegrist #20 | 33 | 11-15 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | -12 | 23 |
| Luisa Geiselsöder #18 | 23 | 3-8 | 1-5 | 0-0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | -12 | 7 |
| Grace Berger #9 | 18 | 2-4 | 0-1 | 2-2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 6 |
| Paige Bueckers #5 | 29 | 8-18 | 0-2 | 2-2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | -17 | 18 |
| Haley Jones #30 | 20 | 3-4 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | -13 | 7 |
| Myisha Hines-Allen #2 | 21 | 4-4 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | -11 | 9 |
| Diamond Miller #1 | 11 | 2-5 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -5 | 4 |
| Aziaha James #10 | 22 | 4-14 | 0-2 | 1-2 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | -14 | 9 |
| JJ Quinerly #11 | 24 | 1-6 | 0-2 | 2-2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -12 | 4 |
| Li Yueru #28 | DNP | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Arike Ogunbowale #24 | DNP | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Tyasha Harris #52 | DNP | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Team | 38-78 | 3-17 | 8-9 | 8 | 29 | 37 | 26 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 16 | 87 | ||
| % | 48.7% | 17.6% | 88.9% |
Las Vegas Aces: By the Numbers
A’jA Wilson (No. 22) of the Las Vegas Aces had another solid 34-point effort against the Dallas Wings. (Photo: Christopher Vargas | The Podium Finish)
| Player | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | +/- | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NaLyssa Smith #3 | 22 | 4-8 | 2-2 | 4-4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | +17 | 14 |
| Kierstan Bell #1 | 28 | 6-7 | 6-7 | 0-0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +16 | 18 |
| A’ja Wilson #22 | 31 | 11-16 | 1-1 | 11-14 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | +12 | 34 |
| Chelsea Gray #12 | 32 | 3-6 | 1-2 | 3-3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +22 | 10 |
| Jackie Young #0 | 29 | 3-9 | 2-6 | 0-0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | +11 | 8 |
| Kiah Stokes #41 | 7 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 0 |
| Megan Gustafson #17 | 2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -4 | 0 |
| Jewell Loyd #24 | 25 | 4-11 | 4-8 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | +10 | 12 |
| Dana Evans #11 | 16 | 2-6 | 2-4 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | +5 | 6 |
| Aaliyah Nye #13 | 10 | 1-5 | 0-4 | 2-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +5 | 4 |
| Team | 34-68 | 18-34 | 20-23 | 4 | 24 | 28 | 28 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 17 | 106 | ||
| % | 50.0% | 52.9% | 87.0% |
