‘We Need to Put Two Halves Together’: Dallas Wings’ Rally Falls Short Without Paige Bueckers in Loss to New York Liberty
What began as a lopsided start turned into another gritty rally, but the Dallas Wings’ comeback bid came up short in an 88–77 loss to the New York Liberty on Friday night at a sold-out College Park Center.
The Wings, without leading scorer Paige Bueckers after she was ruled out pregame with a back injury, fell behind by as many as 19 before cutting the deficit to three late in the third quarter. Arike Ogunbowale scored a game-high 17 points on 6-of-16 shooting, Maddy Siegrist added 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting in just her second game back from injury, and Myisha Hines-Allen posted 12 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks off the bench.
Dallas’ reserves outscored New York’s 44–20, finishing just three points shy of their season high in bench production.
“By committee,” Siegrist said pregame of replacing Bueckers’ production. “No one’s going to be able to do what she does… but we’re just embracing the people we have right now.”
Early Hole Against a Championship New York Liberty Team
Dallas opened with a new starting five — Haley Jones (four points, two rebounds, two assists), Ogunbowale, Aziaha James (three points), Luisa Geiselsöder (six points, six rebounds), and Li Yueru (three points, six rebounds) — but New York seized control with a 21–8 first-quarter run. The Liberty shot 61% in the opening period and got six points each from four different starters to build a 28–15 lead.
“They’re long, they mix up their coverages, and they’re just a very veteran-savvy team,” Siegrist said. “We have to contest the three-point line better.”
The Wings had emphasized hedge-and-recover ball screen coverages during Thursday’s practice, but the Liberty were well-prepared, countering with quick slips and precision passes to generate multiple uncontested layups.
“When we’re at the point of attack and execute our schemes decisively—whether hedging, switching, or rotating—it looks good and we get stops,” Hines-Allen said. “We scramble effectively without overcommitting. It’s going to take everyone, but it starts with our leaders like Arike, Grace, JJ, myself, and Lou being vocal and setting the tone.”
Containing the post also proved challenging in the first half, especially when New York created mismatches by attacking Dallas’ switches. Without Bueckers to space the floor and break down switches, the Liberty were able to send extra attention toward Ogunbowale without fear of leaving another primary scorer open. This made it more difficult for Dallas’ half-court possessions to generate clean looks early.
In the second quarter, Emma Meesseman (14 points, eight rebounds, seven assists) scored eight points during a 15–6 Liberty burst to push the lead to 19. Dallas’ bench countered with six points from Diamond Miller (seven points in 11 minutes) and four from Siegrist.
“She’s really vocal,” Ogunbowale said of Miller. “She runs the floor, she’s an energy player, she’s long and uses her length… I love how vocal she is and how she doesn’t stop moving.”
Third-Quarter Surge Cut the Deficit
Ogunbowale attacked immediately out of halftime, scoring seven quick points to cut the deficit to 11. She wasted no time probing off high ball screens, using her first step to get downhill before the Liberty’s help could rotate. Numerous times, she finished through contact at the rim, and on another trip, she pulled up from mid-range after freezing her defender. Her burst out of the locker room set the tone for Dallas’ 23–9 run to open the third quarter.
“I think in the second half we did what we should have done in the first half,” Ogunbowale said. “We came out with a lot more intention to get out in transition, but that started with getting stops. If we can put two halves together like the second half, I think we’re in good shape. That’s been the story all year long—putting two halves together, four quarters together. Just these next five weeks, we need to lock into that and build.”
Dallas had more success in the third quarter by pushing in transition off New York’s empty possessions and using its bigs to create deep seals — whether as traditional Gortat screens or simply using their size to carve space. Ogunbowale capitalized on those efforts, repeatedly getting to the rim.
Defensively, the Wings’ best stretch came when they deployed a combination of bigger wing players who could switch and guard multiple positions, slowing New York’s attack and forcing more contested looks. It was a stretch that reflected one of Dallas’ defensive points of emphasis from practice — using length and mobility to switch onto multiple positions and disrupt actions before they could develop.
“They love to run, so we need to give them tough shots and limit their transition offense,” Geiselsöder said before tip.
The Wings strung together a 23–9 run, getting within a possession before Marine Johannès (10 points) hit a three-pointer to make it a two-possession game. Ogunbowale finished the quarter with 12 points and three rebounds, going 4-of-7 from the field and 4-of-4 at the line.
“If we can put two halves together like the second half, I think we’re in good shape,” Ogunbowale said. “That’s been the story all year long — putting two halves together, four quarters together.”
Grace Berger, starting the quarter despite four fouls, tallied six points, a career-high eight rebounds, and four assists. It was the second game in a row that Berger, playing on a seven-day contract, came off the bench but started the second half. Dallas likes the point guard presence she provides.
“Grace is a player every team would want. She can play on or off the ball, defend, and do whatever’s needed,” Hines-Allen said. “She’s smart, takes what the defense gives her, looks for the right players, and does her job. Her aggressiveness, finding players, and creating space was big for us.”
Berger said her mindset was to fill in wherever needed, especially with Bueckers unavailable. She embraced the challenge of taking on more ball-handling duties, facilitating the offense, and matching up defensively with multiple positions, viewing it as an opportunity to showcase her versatility and keep the team organized under pressure.
“I’m going to go out there and try to be another ball handler… I’ll focus on doing what I do best,” Berger said. “Whether that’s getting us into our sets, defending multiple positions, or crashing the glass, I just want to make sure I’m impacting the game in as many ways as possible.”
Hines-Allen pointed to the defensive improvement, highlighting how better ball pressure and more disciplined rotations allowed the Wings to disrupt New York’s rhythm in the second half. She said the team’s communication picked up noticeably, helping them contest shots and close off driving lanes more effectively.
“I think the second half, as Arike touched on, we were able to get stops and then run in transition to get easy points. In the first quarter, we had a lot of live-ball turnovers that put us in a hole,” Hines-Allen said. “Once we stopped turning the ball over, especially the live ones, we were able to settle down, play defense, and get stops. Our offense clicked because we were able to get stops in the second half.”
Koclanes said his halftime message was to separate offense from defense, reminding the players that missed shots or stalled possessions couldn’t dictate their energy or discipline on the other end. He urged them to set the tone physically, control the glass, and let stops fuel their transition game.
“We weren’t good offensively… and that bled into our defense,” Koclanes said. “In the third quarter, we got physical, dictated more, and created easy offense from stops.”
Final Push, But Not Enough for the Dallas Wings
New York pushed the lead back to 19 in the fourth before Dallas mounted one more run. Siegrist scored 11 points in the quarter, going a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor, while Hines-Allen added five points.
“I always joke in practice that [Arike] doesn’t take layups, only floaters,” Siegrist said. “But she did great today getting all the way to the basket.”
The Liberty loaded up on Ogunbowale all night — hedging to keep her from turning the corner off screens and showing early help in the gap one pass away. Without Bueckers on the floor, it became easier for New York to commit multiple defenders to her drives.
“I loved her aggression. They weren’t switching as much, so she could keep her dribble, read the defense, and attack,” Koclanes said. “When she can get to the rim like that, it opens up everything for her and her teammates.”
Hines-Allen said the locker room remains united despite the struggles, stressing that the team’s relationships off the court have helped them weather difficult stretches. She noted that the players genuinely enjoy being around each other, which makes it easier to regroup after tough losses and stay locked in on the bigger goals.
“We’re in every game, and the locker room is strong,” Hines-Allen said. “We like each other, the vibes are good, and we know there’s room for improvement — especially in closing games.”
New York’s starting five all scored in double figures — Sabrina Ionescu (16 points, six rebounds, six assists), Leonie Fiebich (14 points, 2-5 3PT), Jonquel Jones (14 points, 4-of-5 from three), Meesseman, and Natasha Cloud (10 points, six assists). The Liberty shot 46.3% from the field, 38.5% from three, and were perfect on 16 free throws.
Dallas shot 40% overall, 3-of-21 (14.3%) from three, and 78.3% from the line. The Wings won the rebounding battle 40–32, outscored New York 50–36 in the paint, and had a 14–4 edge in fast-break points. However, they committed 15 turnovers, leading to 13 Liberty points.
“They’re an amazing team, but we were handing them the ball in the first quarter,” Ogunbowale said. “Cleaning up the turnovers is key… against a championship team, climbing out of that hole means playing your best basketball and getting stops, which is tough.”
Dallas Wings Building Through Adversity
Koclanes said the team’s chemistry is holding strong, crediting the veterans for keeping the locker room connected through a challenging season. He pointed to their leadership in setting the tone during practices, keeping communication open during games, and reinforcing the importance of maintaining energy and focus regardless of the score.
“This group is positive, eager, and resilient,” Koclanes said. “They haven’t been defeated by the tough times. Credit to our veterans for keeping a consistent approach.. They’ve stayed committed to building the right habits, and they’ve continued to support one another. We talk a lot about controlling what we can control, and this group has done that.”
Hines-Allen echoed Koclanes’ sentiment, emphasizing that the team’s resilience stems from its close-knit chemistry despite the season’s challenges.
“We’re in every game, and the locker room is strong. That’s never been an issue,” Hines-Allen said. “We focus on getting to know each other beyond basketball, which shows on the court. We have lapses because we’re new to playing together, and that’s why we can’t always finish games. But we like each other, the vibes are good, and we know there’s room for improvement—especially in closing games.”
Jones said that even through a challenging season, the trust in the front office’s plan has created a sense of stability and purpose in the locker room, allowing everyone to stay focused on growth and daily improvement.
“It’s a big vote of confidence from them to know they’re bought in,” Jones said. “Beyond that, the whole team has bought into it too, so it feels good.”
The Wings return to action Sunday against the Washington Mystics at 3 p.m. CT, airing locally on KFAA and nationally on CBS Sports Network.
More Dallas Wings News & WNBA Rumors
- WNBA News: “By Committee”: Dallas Wings Face New York Liberty Without Paige Bueckers Amid Back Injury
- WNBA News: “We’re Taking a Little Bit of the OKC Model”: Curt Miller on the Dallas Wings’ Roster Approach Around Paige Bueckers, DiJonai Carrington Trade and More
- WNBA News: “Preparing to Be in the Playoffs”: Diamond Miller Settling Into Role With Dallas Wings
- WNBA News: “She Should Be Fine”: Dallas Wings Reveal Paige Bueckers Injury Status for New York Liberty Rematch
- WNBA News: “We Gave Them Too Many Open Shots”: Paige Bueckers Scores 21 as Dallas Wings Fall to New York Liberty After Second Half Slide
- WNBA News: “Hoping It Won’t Take Me Out”: Paige Bueckers Details Back Injury After Dallas Wings’ Loss to New York Liberty
- WNBA News: Dallas Wings’ Paige Bueckers Earns Second Consecutive WNBA Rookie of the Month Honor
- WNBA News: Dallas Wings Trade DiJonai Carrington to Minnesota Lynx, Acquire Diamond Miller, Karlie Samuelson
