‘We’re Building That Chemistry’: Dallas Wings Top New York Liberty Behind Arike Ogunbowale’s Historic Night

What unfolded Monday night at College Park Center was more than just a win—it was a reminder of how dangerous the Dallas Wings can be when everything clicks. Behind a historic double-double from Arike Ogunbowale and another composed performance from Paige Bueckers, the Wings stunned the defending champion New York Liberty 92–82 in front of a national audience on ESPN.

Ogunbowale racked up 20 points and a career-high 14 assists, tying the WNBA’s single-game assist record set by Ivory Latta in 2012. She became the first player in franchise history—and just the third in league history—to post a points-assists double-double in a single half.

“It was a career-high in assists, so probably,” Ogunbowale said when asked if it was the best decision-making game of her career. “My teammates were knocking everything down. It was great team basketball.”

The win lifted Dallas to 8–19 on the year and gave the Wings a 1–0 edge in the 2025 series with New York, breaking the all-time tie and giving the franchise a 42–41 advantage in head-to-head matchups.

Establishing a New Standard Early

Head coach Chris Koclanes rolled out a new starting five featuring JJ Quinerly, Bueckers, Ogunbowale, Haley Jones, and Luisa Geiselsöder. The group responded with a 31-point first quarter and a 63–36 halftime lead—the fifth-highest scoring half in team history.

“Just energy and defensive tenacity,” Koclanes said of what he saw in the opening quarter. “We got stops and ran in transition. We found disruption early and were aggressive at the point of attack. I’m proud of that start.”

Dallas shot 58.7% in the first half and recorded 27 made field goals on 20 assists — both franchise records for a single half. The Wings had more field goals than the Liberty had points for much of the second quarter.

“She had 14 assists. That means the team was really clicking,” Bueckers said. “We were moving the ball, getting great shots. Our rotations were solid. We’re proud of the start.”

Geiselsöder scored 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including 2-of-4 from deep, and said it was a product of the team’s rhythm.

“I got open looks because we moved the ball,” Geiselsöder said. “Every one of my shots came off an assist. It’s just nice to see how well we’re playing team basketball and how we’re improving at sharing the ball.”

Ogunbowale added that the team’s offensive success is being driven by a simplified structure.

“In us simplifying the offense, we kind of know where each other’s going to be now,” Ogunbowale said. “We’re building that chemistry—knowing where our fours and fives are, and just learning each other. Day by day, we’re building it with all 11 players, and I think it’s showing on the court.”

Bueckers poured in 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting, adding six rebounds, four assists, and three steals. It marked her 10th 20-point game of the season and her second straight game with three or more steals.

The Bueckers–Ogunbowale Connection Keeps Growing

The chemistry between Ogunbowale and Bueckers continues to evolve. When asked what’s been clicking lately, Ogunbowale pointed to one simple factor.

“I think it’s more communication,” she said. “We made it a point to just communicate with each other more, pick each other up if we see something going on. Just building that relationship and that chemistry—knowing we’re kind of two leads on this team and a lot goes through us—so we have to be on the same page. We’ve been really intentional about it.”

Bueckers echoed that focus on collaboration.

“We were just trying to have a fast start and come out strong—deflect, make everything hard for them on defense, and then get out in transition and run, attack, and be aggressive on offense,” she said. “We were moving the ball, getting good shots, and making catches difficult for them.”

From Koclanes’ perspective, the dynamic between his star backcourt has started to mature into something more meaningful.

“They’re getting closer and more intentional,” Koclanes said. “They’re ignoring outside narratives and focusing on what they can control together. It’s a special relationship in the making.”

Closing Through Chaos

Despite trailing by as many as 30 points, New York made it a game late. The Liberty outscored Dallas 20–7 in the fourth quarter, holding the Wings to just 1-of-16 shooting (6.2%) from the field and 1-of-9 from three. Sabrina Ionescu scored 17 points and hit a pair of late threes, while Jonquel Jones led the Liberty with 18 points and 7 rebounds on 6-of-16 shooting.

“Playing with a lead is tough,” Koclanes said. “The zone added a layer — shot clock, rhythm, second-guessing. It took us out of rhythm. Credit to New York for fighting. We made enough plays to pull it out.”

“We just gutted it out and relied on our defense,” Bueckers said. “They were getting out in transition and to the free throw line. We tightened up defensively. Their zone slowed us down, so we tried to change sides of the floor, get into the middle of the zone, and attack.”

Bueckers said the team tried to stay focused on each possession down the stretch.

“We couldn’t get shots to go in, so we had to rely on our defense,” Bueckers said. “They were getting out in transition and to the free throw line. We tightened up defensively. Their zone slowed us down, so we tried to change sides of the floor, get into the middle of the zone, and attack. We also wanted to run time off the clock. We just gutted it out.”

Geiselsöder acknowledged the team’s stagnation in the fourth.

“We just passed the ball around the three-point line, and that was a big problem,” she said. “We need to be patient, not settle for threes, and move—cut, set screens, do something before we catch the ball.”

Carrington, off the bench, added nine points and a team-high nine rebounds. She went 3-of-10 from the field and 3-of-3 from the line. Li Yueru added eight points and seven rebounds, giving Dallas a 39–33 edge on the boards overall.

New York finished at 43.8% shooting, including 7-of-26 (26.9%) from beyond the arc. Dallas, despite the cold fourth quarter, ended the game shooting 46.2% from the field, 28.0% from three, and 92.9% (13-of-14) from the free-throw line. The Wings also logged 27 assists — second-most this season — on 36 made field goals.

“We’re building chemistry,” Ogunbowale said. “And the assist numbers show that.”

Chemistry and Confidence

The growing on-court connection between Ogunbowale and Geiselsöder was again a highlight.

“She brings that European swag,” Ogunbowale said. “She’s really smart and savvy. She makes the right reads. She’s a rookie, but she’s older and has been playing pro, so we trust her to make good decisions. We’ve got a pretty good two-man game going, and it’s been effective.”

Geiselsöder said the trust goes both ways.

“It’s fun to play with her,” she said. “She draws so much attention, and we can definitely take advantage of that. I really look forward to running pick-and-roll with her—it’s been fun.”

Jones, who started and scored 8 points with 3 rebounds and 2 assists, said Geiselsöder’s floor spacing helps unlock their frontcourt actions.

“Both of us were moving the ball well and facilitating,” Jones said. “She stretched the floor and was hitting her shots tonight, which was great. I think we can both create mismatches and bring different looks from the four and five positions.”

Jones, who made her first start of the season and played alongside Geiselsöder for the first time in the frontcourt, said their versatility helped set the tone.

“I think it opened up a lot of stuff—right from the start of the game,” Jones said. “Both of us were moving the ball well and facilitating. She stretched the floor and was hitting her shots tonight, which was great. I think we can both create mismatches and bring different looks from the four and five positions.”

Bueckers also emphasized the impact of Dallas’ stretch bigs.

“It makes teams have to guard them,” she said. “It spaces the floor, opens up driving lanes, and creates more opportunities for everyone else. If teams double me or Arike, they can get open pop threes, mid-range jumpers, or layups.”

Staying Present

Despite strong showings against Seattle and New York since the All-Star break, Ogunbowale warned against assuming momentum will carry them forward.

“We beat Seattle, then lost to Valkyrie and the Aces,” she said. “So it’s game to game. This was a great win, but Wednesday’s a whole new challenge. They play differently. We have to lock in. Like Paige said, momentum’s kind of a myth—it’s about being present and taking it one game at a time.”

The Wings will host the Atlanta Dream next, with the season series tied 1–1. As the rotation stabilizes, Bueckers said the team’s chemistry continues to grow.

“It’s difficult, having people in and out of the lineup,” she said. “But that’s life—next woman up. It’s nice now to get some consistency in who we see every night and get more reps together. With repetition, chemistry builds.”

Bueckers added that while Monday night brought one of her more complete performances, the spotlight belonged elsewhere.

“For me, it wasn’t about my performance—it was about Arike’s,” she said. “She had 20 points, 14 assists, only one turnover. Playing within the offense, on both ends of the floor. We’ve talked about controlling what we can, staying focused. It’s not always pretty, but tonight’s story should be about her.”

Looking Ahead

The Wings will be back at College Park Center on Wednesday night to face the Atlanta Dream, wrapping up a grueling stretch of three games in four days. The season series between the teams is tied 1–1, with Dallas winning the most recent meeting 68–55.

“We’ll take tomorrow off, prep a little, shootaround, and then it’s Atlanta,” Koclanes said. “Each team presents different challenges.”

Bueckers said the focus will be on sustaining energy and discipline, especially after how the Liberty closed the fourth quarter.

“We can’t be satisfied,” Bueckers said. “We want to keep building on this. We know what we’re capable of when we lock in from the jump.”

For Ogunbowale, the message remained simple.

“It’s a new challenge,” she said. “Every game is. Tonight was great, but now it’s about the next one.”

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