Dallas Wings’ Bueckers, James Shine in Loss to Aces

Paige Bueckers (No. 5) of the Dallas Wings debuted in the starting five in a WNBA preseason matchup against the Las Vegas Aces on Friday, May 2, 2025. (Photo: Mason Munn | The Podium Finish)

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — A new era for the Dallas Wings took flight Friday evening with the WNBA preseason debuts of this year’s rookie picks: Paige Bueckers, Aziaha James and JJ Quinerly. In front of 7,602 fans at Purcell Pavilion — home of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish — the Wings flashed moments of promise against the two-time champion Las Vegas Aces.

It was a homecoming game for Arike Ogunbowale, Jackie Young, and Jewell Loyd — all former Notre Dame standouts who left their mark on the program during their illustrious college careers. Regardless of the outcome, the return to Purcell Pavilion was a meaningful moment for each of these WNBA stars who have gone on to thrive at the professional level.

With most of their core from the 2022 and ’23 title runs intact, the Aces faced a Wings squad returning just three players from last season as Dallas worked to find its footing in the first of two preseason matchups. In the first quarter, the Aces jumped to a 14-6 lead with 5:44 remaining with newcomers DiJonai Carrington and NaLyssa Smith getting the Wings’ opening scores.

Bueckers got on the board early with a confident finger-roll layup, slicing through the defense with ease. Carrington and Ogunbowale continued Dallas’ offensive attack before Maddy Siegrist‘s trey and Bueckers’ jumper made it a six-point margin to the Aces’ lead with 2:39 left in the first frame. James wrapped up the first quarter with eight quick points before Quinerly’s feed to Siegrist put Dallas ahead of Las Vegas, 25-23.

From there, the Aces’ strong chemistry was prominently on display, outscoring the Wings, 32-11, in the second quarter to take a 55-36 lead. Young, Tiffany Mitchell, Chelsea Gray, A’ja Wilson went on a tear for the Aces on the offensive front while Quinerly, Carrington, James, Siegrist, Teaira McCowan contributed for Dallas as the team worked on different rotations.

Once the second half was underway, Bueckers sank her first three-pointer, albeit unofficially, in her WNBA career just 38 seconds into the third quarter. Ogunbowale, the Wings’ longtime standout, followed with a deep three that echoed her storied Notre Dame career, keeping Dallas within reach.

Aziaha James (No. 10) of the Dallas Wings impressed with 10 points in her WNBA preseason debut. (Photo: Mason Munn | The Podium Finish)

Siegrist continued her offensive stride while Kalia Charles and Bueckers connected on consecutive threes. Smith drove to the paint with Bueckers’ first dime while Quinerly, McCowan and Charles cashed in their buckets before Mitchell’s buzzer beating shot from downtown extended Las Vegas’ lead over Dallas, 87-63, going into the fourth quarter.

Prior to the game, Dallas head coach Chris Koclanes stated his intention to have his players not exceed 25 minutes on the court to try out the team’s different combinations. Much like a NASCAR team with the chance to gain valuable track time before a race, Koclanes experimented with his rotations, mixing in the veterans with the Wings’ five rookies.

Though the score heavily favored Las Vegas entering the final quarter, Quinerly shined for Dallas, cashing in 10 of her 16 total points to make her case for a roster spot. Mai Yamamoto scored the Wings’ final points with 3:12 left in the game en route to a loss against Las Vegas, 112-78.

Following the game, Coach Koclanes reflected on the team’s area of opportunities for improvement on both ends of the floor.

“That was our start. That was our start. And it’s just a start so lots of new pieces working together, playing together for the first time,” Koclanes emphasized. “Again, it’s our fifth day. We saw a bit of zone, we hadn’t prepped for that. I thought what hurt us was just the live ball turnovers. Those live balls, those steals… now, when you’re in transition, it’s really tough to be able to matchup and get your defense set.

“So, you saw us out there and it looked like we were lost. But a lot of it was just from those turnovers so it’s hard to get matched up and get people guarded. So, if we could clean it up a little bit and take care of the ball a little better and make simpler plays, I think that’ll help.”

As the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day — a fitting mantra for these Wings as they develop chemistry and consistency. Particularly, Bueckers highlighted a particular aspect that she and her teammates want to address to limit their opponents’ scoring chances and maximizing their offensive attacks.

Paige Bueckers considered the points of improvement for the Dallas Wings following Friday evening’s game against the Las Vegas Aces. (Photo: Mason Munn | The Podium Finish)

“Like Coach talked about, this is just a start, and you wanna continue to build off that,” Bueckers said. “But in terms of today, I thought, as I was talking about, screen navigation on defense is a place where I wanna improve. We wanna improve as a team, so continue to grow on that.

“And then just also, like, Coach talked about, limiting live ball turnovers, and getting better matchups on transition defense. So in terms of places and areas you need to grow, I think we should. Those are the areas.”

One of the bright spots for the Dallas Wings was James’ confident play. Gelling well with Siegrist, the North Carolina State alum tipped her cap to her experienced teammates for her quick adjustments on the court.

“My vets made me comfortable. So I feel like when I go out there, I can trust everybody on the court, and they can trust me on the court,” James said. “Maddy cuts all the time. So just keep looking for her and passing it to her. It was good today.”

Next Stop

With one more preseason game on Saturday, May 10 at College Park Center against the Toyota Antelopes, the focus now shifts to progress — one practice, one film session, and one possession at a time.

The Rundown

Dallas Wings: By the Numbers

Paige Bueckers (No. 5) had a solid performance in her 2025 WNBA preseason debut against the Las Vegas Aces at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo: Mason Munn | The Podium Finish)

Las Vegas Aces: By the Numbers