Dallas Wings’ Arike Ogunbowale to Miss Third Straight Game; Li Yueru Questionable vs. Las Vegas Aces
The Dallas Wings will again be without Arike Ogunbowale when they face the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday afternoon, the team announced in its latest injury report.
Ogunbowale, who has been sidelined with right knee soreness, is set to miss her third straight game. Center Li Yueru is questionable with a left knee issue after logging nine minutes off the bench in Friday’s loss to the Los Angeles Sparks, finishing with three points, one rebound, one assist, and two blocks.
Guard Aziaha James is listed as probable with a right foot injury, while Tyasha Harris remains out for the season due to a left knee injury. Rookie Paige Bueckers, who played through a back injury Friday, is no longer on the report.
Dallas Wings Faces Tall Task in Las Vegas
The Wings (9-25, 3-13 Western Conference) will try to bounce back after a 97-96 loss to the Sparks, a game in which Bueckers scored 29 points and broke the franchise rookie assist record. Dallas now travels to face the Aces (20-14, 12-8 Western Conference), who are coming off an 86-83 victory over the Phoenix Mercury behind A’ja Wilson’s 30-point performance.
Las Vegas has gone 8-2 in its last 10 games, while Dallas has dropped eight of its last 10. The Aces are ranked sixth in the Western Conference with 32.1 points per game in the paint, led by Wilson averaging 12.2.
This is the fourth meeting between the teams this season. The Aces won 106-80 in the last matchup on July 27, when Jackie Young scored 24 points, and Ogunbowale led Dallas with 18.
Dallas Wings Lean on Paige Bueckers, Small-Ball Lineups
In Ogunbowale’s absence, Bueckers has shouldered the offensive load. Against Los Angeles, she attacked relentlessly, finishing with 29 points on 12-of-21 shooting, four rebounds, and five assists. She became the fastest rookie in franchise history to reach 500 points and the second-fastest WNBA player ever to reach 500 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists.
“Paige was amazing, just getting downhill and putting pressure on the rim,” teammate Myisha Hines-Allen said Friday. “She was attacking, attacking, attacking. I saw that dog in her today.”
Dallas leaned heavily on small lineups throughout the second half to match Los Angeles’ versatility. The approach opened minutes for guards JJ Quinerly and Aziaha James, who brought energy on both ends. Quinerly tallied 11 points and a career-high nine assists, while James scored 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting. The Wings’ bench outscored the Sparks’ reserves 39-7, with contributions from Hines-Allen (six points, seven rebounds), Diamond Miller (six points), and Li, who made her impact with two blocked shots.
Maddy Siegrist added 15 points and six free throws, while Luisa Geiselsöder scored nine points with seven rebounds. In total, Dallas shot 50.7% from the field, assisted on 32 of its 38 made baskets, and went a perfect 11-of-11 at the line, but still came up short due to rebounding and turnovers.
Head coach Chris Koclanes praised the effort but emphasized the need for consistency on the defensive end, especially against elite Western Conference opponents like Las Vegas.
“We’ve gotta take care of the ball,” Koclanes said. “Some turnovers and missed layups turned into baskets on the other end, even threes. We’ve got to continue to take care of the ball and put ourselves in a position not to have to fight and claw back.”
The Wings tip off against the Aces at 2:30 p.m. CT Sunday on ABC.
More Dallas Wings News & WNBA Rumors
- WNBA News: “It’s About How You Contribute to Winning”: Paige Bueckers Breaks Dallas Wings Rookie Assist Record, Fastest to 500 Points
- WNBA News: “I Saw That Dog in Her Today”: Paige Bueckers Shines but Dallas Wings’ Late Rally Falls Short vs. Los Angeles Sparks
- WNBA News: “We Can Always Rely on Our Defense”: Paige Bueckers Shares Key Message for Dallas Wings After Win Over Indiana Fever
- WNBA News: “Gave Me a Lot of Confidence”: Li Yueru Building on Career Night as Dallas Wings Face Los Angeles Sparks
- WNBA News: “They Try to Help Me a Lot”: Li Yueru Credits Dallas Wings Teammates After Career Night vs. Indiana Fever
- WNBA News: “Paige Will Be a Unifier”: Curt Miller Details Dallas Wings’ Roster Plan Around Paige Bueckers
