Paige bueckers drops 35 in loss to Mercury

Paige Bueckers made a dazzling return to the court with a career-high 35 points, but it wasn’t enough to lift the Dallas Wings as they fell 93–80 to the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday night.

Bueckers, back in the lineup after missing four games due to concussion protocol and illness, came out blazing—making her first six shots and finishing 13-of-19 from the field. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft also went 5-of-7 from three-point range, while adding six rebounds, four assists, a steal, and a block in 37 minutes.

Her 35-point performance makes her just the third rookie in Wings history to score 35 or more in a game, joining Arike Ogunbowale (2019) and Odyssey Sims (2014). She also became the fourth rookie overall in team history to hit 30+ in a game.

But while Bueckers sizzled, the rest of the Wings struggled. Dallas shot just 33.3% from the field outside of her efforts, going 16-of-48 overall and a dismal 0-of-12 from beyond the arc. No other Wings player reached more than 11 points. The loss drops Dallas to 1–10, their worst start since 2012.

Phoenix (7–4) capitalized on Dallas’ cold shooting. Satou Sabally had a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds against her former team, and Alyssa Thomas recorded 11 points and 10 assists. Kitija Laksa added 14 points and knocked down four three-pointers, while Kathryn Westbeld and Lexi Held chipped in 11 points apiece.

Bueckers carried the Wings early, scoring 22 of the team’s 36 first-half points — surpassing her previous career high of 21 before the break. Her 22 first-half points also rank as the third-highest scoring half by a rookie in franchise history.

Despite Bueckers’ efforts, Dallas couldn’t keep pace. Sabally scored 10 points in the third quarter alone as the Mercury pushed their lead to double digits, up 67–57 heading into the fourth.

Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale continued to struggle, finishing with 10 points on just 2-of-10 shooting. She missed all seven of her first-half attempts, committed four turnovers, fouled out, and ended the night with a team-worst -15 plus/minus.

Dallas showed brief signs of life late in the third quarter when Jae’lyn “JQ” Quinerly checked in and brought a jolt of energy off the bench. The rookie guard from West Virginia had a steal and two quick buckets within 30 seconds, finishing with four points, an assist, and a steal in six minutes of action.

Despite the loss, Bueckers showed why she was the top draft pick.

The Wings will look to regroup and end their six-game losing streak as they head into their next matchup.