‘We’ve Got to Learn From It’: Dallas Wings Overpowered by Seattle Storm Bench in Historic Loss
What began as a competitive first half dissolved into one of the Dallas Wings’ toughest nights of the season. Seattle’s bench overwhelmed Dallas with 62 points — the most in franchise history — as the Storm cruised to a 95–60 win at College Park Center on Friday night.
Maddy Siegrist led Dallas with 12 points on 6-of-12 shooting and five rebounds, while Paige Bueckers added 11 points, two rebounds, and a steal to extend her streak of double-digit scoring games to 30. The rookie also cracked the WNBA’s all-time top-10 rookie scoring list, surpassing Diana Taurasi and Aliyah Boston for the No. 10 spot with 581 career points. Haley Jones grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds to go with two assists. Grace Berger chipped in four points and three assists, and Luisa Geiselsöder added three points and seven rebounds.
The Wings dropped to 9–28, while Seattle improved to 19–18, clinching the season series 3–1.
Seattle Storm’s Bench Dominates
After Dallas opened with a 5–0 lead, Seattle seized control with an 11–0 run and never looked back. Dominique Malonga delivered a career night, tying her best with 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting, adding nine rebounds and three blocks. Erica Wheeler poured in 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting with four assists and two steals, while Tiffany Mitchell chipped in 11 points. Together, they accounted for 50 of Seattle’s 62 bench points — a WNBA record as the Storm reserves outscored Dallas’ entire team.
“We know we’re in the hunt for the playoffs, so everything is important right now,” Wheeler said. “We definitely have a sense of urgency to be sharp, and ultimately we just had fun.”
Malonga credited her teammates for her efficiency.
“I’m getting good reps now, good minutes, and I feel the trust from my coaches and teammates,” Malonga said. “I just do the easy things—set picks, roll hard, run the floor. I think I’m also more physical now, more powerful in the paint, and that helps me on both ends.”
Seattle shot 56.3% from the field and 38.1% from three, compared to just 29.9% shooting and 17.4% from deep for Dallas. The Storm also outscored the Wings 48–28 in the paint and 24–7 in fast-break points. Their 62 bench points set a franchise record and marked the first time in WNBA history that a team’s reserves outscored the opponent’s entire total.
“You saw what we were able to do,” Wheeler said. “The biggest thing is consistency. If we can score 22 points off the bench every night, see us in October.”
Maddy Siegrist, Paige Bueckers Provide Lone Sparks
Dallas briefly rallied in the second quarter, with Siegrist scoring eight points and battling on the boards. She totaled 10 points and five rebounds by halftime, keeping the Wings within striking distance at 48–34.
Afterward, Siegrist admitted the team was forced off its rhythm.
“I think they were a very physical team,” Siegrist said. “We let that push us off our mark a little bit. We obviously had a tough night shooting the ball. We got enough shots, we just weren’t able to put the ball in the basket as a whole, and sometimes that happens. Defensively, we just have to be a little better.”
Bueckers scored eight of her 11 points in the first quarter but was held scoreless after halftime. Head coach Chris Koclanes credited Seattle’s defensive attention.
“They were extremely physical with her, threw a lot of bodies at her on ball screens,” Koclanes said. “When she did [get touches], there were multiple bodies on her. They challenged her to make the right play over and over.”
Seattle head coach Noelle Quinn added that her team was locked in defensively.
“Guarding a player like Paige is a team picture, not just one matchup,” Quinn said. “Slim was very physical, stayed in her space. We were aggressive, showed multiple bodies, and made her hesitant to use the ball screen.”
Diamond Miller and Amy Okonkwo Show Flashes
Diamond Miller finished with eight points and two rebounds in 23 minutes, while Myisha Hines-Allen added five points and five boards off the bench.
Friday also marked the WNBA debut of Amy Okonkwo, who was signed to a seven-day hardship contract after Dallas lost JJ Quinerly to a knee injury earlier this week and continues to play without Arike Ogunbowale, Li Yueru, and Tyasha Harris. Okonkwo, who interned with the Wings in 2018 before building a successful international career, scored eight points on 3-of-5 shooting and grabbed a rebound in 9 minutes.
“Be myself and shoot when I’m open and try to help find my teammates open, play hard defense, and give a lot of energy,” Okonkwo said before the game.
Reflecting on the team’s struggles, Miller pointed to defensive breakdowns.
“Our closeouts weren’t the best today, including me,” Miller said. “We have to know the scout better, who we’re closing out to, and we need to protect the paint.”
Chris Koclanes on Urgency and Fatigue
Koclanes acknowledged the packed schedule and its toll on a young roster but emphasized accountability.
“All credit to Seattle. They came out and played like they’re fighting for a playoff spot,” Koclanes said. “We missed a bunch around the rim, so a different start and maybe that’s a different game. But credit to Seattle. They dictated. We’ve got to learn from it and continue to grow.”
He added that managing the grind is as much mental as physical.
“As soon as the game is over, the recovery process starts,” Koclanes said. “Tomorrow we’ll do everything we can to get them ready for a three o’clock game on Sunday. Physical fatigue shows up mentally, and that leads to lapses in the scouting report and breakdowns in execution.”
On what he saw from Siegrist’s continued contributions, Koclanes praised her versatility.
“She’s been a consistent scoring threat since she came back, and we need that,” he said. “Today she was really good on the offensive boards in the first half, getting us second possessions. She continues to be a good cutter off-ball, and we’ve been mixing and matching her inside and out depending on matchups.”
Asked about Miller’s development, he pointed to her upside.
“She’s another great young piece with tremendous upside,” Koclanes said. “Her length, athleticism, and versatility on defense let her guard multiple positions. Offensively, she’s still getting comfortable with spacing and timing, but we’ll continue to find opportunities for her to attack downhill and put pressure on the rim.”
What’s Next
The Wings return to College Park Center on Sunday to face the Golden State Valkyries at 3 p.m. CT. The season series is tied 1–1.
With seven games left, Siegrist said her focus is on keeping the locker room together.
“For me, it’s just trying to keep everyone together,” Siegrist said. “We still have seven games left, so you just want to go out and compete. You want to be the best version of yourself as a team every single night. Being in my third year, I’ve had a lot of different roles on teams. This is probably the most vocal I’ve been, so I’m trying to use my voice in spots where it helps.”
More Dallas Wings News & WNBA Rumors
- WNBA News: “It’s Amazing Being Back”: Once an Intern, Amy Okonkwo is Set for Dallas Wings Debut Against Seattle Storm
- WNBA News: JJ Quinerly Ruled Out Friday Against Seattle Storm as Dallas Wings’ Injury Toll Nears 100 Games Lost
- WNBA News: Dallas Wings’ Li Yueru Out for Season With ACL Sprain, Arike Ogunbowale Has No Timetable With Knee Tendinitis
- WNBA News: “Paige Will Be a Unifier”: Curt Miller Details Dallas Wings’ Roster Plan Around Paige Bueckers
