“We Wanted to Put on a Show”: Dallas Wings Fall Short Against Indiana Fever in Historic Night at American Airlines Center
The night was set to be historic—and it delivered on spectacle, even if the Dallas Wings came up short on the scoreboard.
In front of a record-breaking crowd of 20,409 at the American Airlines Center, the largest WNBA crowd in Texas history, the Wings rallied from a 23-point first-half deficit to briefly take a fourth-quarter lead before ultimately falling 94–86 to the Indiana Fever on Friday night. The attendance marked a franchise regular-season record and was just the eighth regular-season game in league history to eclipse 20,000 fans.
“This was special,” Paige Bueckers said after the game. “It was a blessing to play in front of that crowd, and we wanted to put on a show for them. We wanted to win that game so badly.”
The anticipated matchup was initially billed as the professional debut duel between the last two No. 1 overall picks—Bueckers for Dallas and Caitlin Clark for Indiana. But Clark was ruled out with a groin injury, casting a shadow over the hype, not the energy. The American Airlines Center crowd remained electric throughout.
A contingent of stars, including Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving, Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons, NBA No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, and Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, were also in attendance. For Bueckers, meeting Irving—her basketball idol growing up—was a full-circle moment.
“I got to meet Kyrie before the game,” Bueckers said. “That was crazy. I’ve looked up to him my whole life, so to have him courtside for our game—it means everything. He didn’t have to be there, and the fact that he came says a lot.”
Indiana Fever Blitz Early as Dallas Wings Struggle to Settle
Indiana overwhelmed Dallas from the opening tip, combining physical defense with clinical execution to seize control early. The Fever opened on a 16–2 run and shot 81.2% from the field in the first quarter, commanding a 33–13 lead. Dallas didn’t reach five points until the four-minute mark and showed visible frustration with the officiating as contact on drives went uncalled while similar plays at the other end led to free throws.
“They were top-locking everything, blitzing,” Arike Ogunbowale said. “We couldn’t get into anything. Our spacing wasn’t right early, and we didn’t match their physicality at first.”
Indiana’s perimeter defense dismantled early offensive sets. The Fever blew up handoff sequences and Get actions, disrupting Dallas’ rhythm and forcing early turnovers. Li Yueru was often the hub in these actions, but Indiana’s guards fought over screens while post defenders anticipated the next pass. That led to two quick giveaways and several broken possessions.
“They were really physical,” Bueckers said. “It took us a while to adjust to how hard they were blowing things up at the point of attack.”
Aliyah Boston anchored Indiana’s defense and exploited early mismatches on offense. She scored through contact in the lane, absorbed post-ups from Myisha Hines-Allen, and forced Dallas to rotate early, often exposing the backline. Her and-one through traffic made it 22–5, and she continued to punish Dallas’ ICE coverage by finding gaps on short rolls.
“She’s very tough,” Yueru said. “I tried to push her more and be aggressive, but I also need to learn when to stay behind her or when to fight for position. That matchup really taught me something.”
The Wings tried to contain Indiana’s ball screens by playing up and often trying to hedge and recover, but Mitchell and Boston proved challenging.
“If I help the guard more, I will have trouble on my own defense,” Yueru said. “If I don’t help them, they will get some open layups. So for me, it’s really a challenge.”
Mitchell hit a pull-up three off a flare screen and consistently found floaters and midrange shots off hostage dribbles. She scored 12 of her game-high 32 points in the opening frame as Indiana converted all 11 of its two-point attempts. Boston totaled 21 points and six rebounds overall.
“They hit us first,” Ogunbowale said. “We just weren’t ready from the jump.”
Yueru, who started at center, struggled initially with turnovers and defensive positioning, particularly as the Fever targeted her in early pick-and-roll actions. But she showed signs of growth as the game progressed.
“I think I had some mistakes early, but I just tried to keep my focus,” Yueru said. “I tried to protect the paint and help on pick-and-rolls, especially when they were coming downhill fast.”
Head coach Chris Koclanes pointed to the team’s inability to get out in transition or establish tempo as a direct consequence of Indiana’s relentless offensive efficiency in the first half.
“They shot over 70% in the first half—it’s hard to run when you’re always taking the ball out of the net,” Koclanes said. “We didn’t generate tempo or pace, and their physicality bothered us.”
Paige Bueckers Leads Second-Quarter Rally
The second quarter saw the Wings begin to stabilize offensively after a rocky opening frame. Aziaha James sped momentum off the bench with 14 points on the night, providing pressure defense and aggressive slashing. Yueru delivered timely interior minutes with seven points and three rebounds, helping to space the floor and clean up rebounding gaps. The Fever’s early top-locking tactics and physicality began to wane as Dallas adjusted with quicker guard-to-guard actions and improved spacing.
Bueckers found her groove late in the frame, showcasing her ability to navigate heavy pressure. She scored nine of her 27 points in the period, including a buzzer-beating 32-foot three-pointer after a heads-up steal that cut the deficit to 54-41 at halftime and brought the crowd of 20,409 to its feet.
“We started playing with more urgency,” Bueckers said. “I thought our execution was better, we got good looks, and defensively we were communicating more.”
Yueru echoed the shift for both herself and the team as a collective, noting how improved communication, better execution, and increased urgency helped them find a rhythm after a shaky start. She highlighted the team’s resolve to keep pushing despite the early deficit.
“I was ready when I came back in. Coach told us to keep fighting, and I wanted to give us good screens and roll hard,” Yueru said. “We knew we had to improve the pace and make better use of the space, and I think we did that.”
James credited the group’s chemistry and fight, pointing to the team’s ability to stay connected even after a rough start. She emphasized how the group leaned on each other and responded together, keeping the belief alive throughout the comeback attempt.
“Just the fight we have, the relentlessness, the motivation we have,” James said. “We just stuck together.”
Third-Quarter Surge Makes It a Game
Out of halftime, the Wings made deliberate tactical adjustments. Guard-to-guard handoffs, backdoor cuts off elbows, and wide staggers gave Bueckers clean catch opportunities while forcing Indiana to make difficult reads. With the Fever still top-locking on the perimeter, Dallas countered by using inverted pick-and-rolls and empty-side actions that led to clearer passing lanes and improved angles.
Ogunbowale, who finished with 15 points, used an and-one in transition to trim the deficit to single digits for the first time since the opening quarter. NaLyssa Smith’s finish off a lob from Bueckers capped a 9-0 run and cut it to 62–59, forcing a Fever timeout. Dallas was getting timely scoring plays to continue the momentum.
Yueru was central in the second-half resurgence, providing a steady interior presence on both ends. She set stronger screens, rolled with purpose, battled for rebounds, and helped stabilize the defense with improved communication and positioning.
“I think I found better rhythm setting screens and rolling hard,” she said. “I just wanted to do the small things—box out, rebound, keep the ball alive.”
“Maisha [Hines-Allen] gave us great energy off the bench again,” Koclanes added. “She’s been more aggressive offensively the last couple games. We need that.”
James stayed aggressive throughout, finishing with 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting while consistently attacking off the dribble and putting pressure on Indiana’s interior defense.
“Just trying to get to the rim, getting to the free throw line—just being aggressive,” James said.
Dallas outscored Indiana 26–18 in the quarter, shooting 60% from the field and maintaining a 14–10 edge in paint points. JJ Quinerly continued to provide steady minutes at the point, assisting James for a key basket that made it 72–67 entering the fourth. It was a complete team response, with each adjustment helping to chip away at what had been a 23-point deficit.
Dallas Wings Take the Lead But Can’t Close
Early in the fourth, Dallas completed its comeback. Bueckers hit a step-back jumper to make it a two-point game, and Quinerly gave the Wings their first lead of the night at 80–79 with a re-drive and pull-up through contact for an and-one. The crowd at American Airlines Center—nearly 20,000 strong—erupted.
“That moment was crazy,” Bueckers said. “We had worked so hard to get there. I really thought we were going to win it.”
But Mitchell responded immediately with a go-ahead three-pointer. The Fever never trailed again.
Natasha Howard, who finished with 15 points, 13 rebounds, and three steals, scored six points down the stretch, including an and-one over Hines-Allen that pushed the lead to 91–82 with under two minutes remaining. McDonald and Mitchell each took turns exploiting Dallas’ defensive gaps.
“We fouled. Then they got to the rim—Ari, Kelsey Mitchell,” Koclanes said. “We were down four, got a miss and rebound, but turned it over in the backcourt. Natasha Howard hit a shot, made it six. That was a backbreaker.”
Arike Ogunbowale finished with 17 points, including a key and-one in transition during the third-quarter rally, but was held to just two shot attempts in the final five minutes as Indiana tightened its defense late.
“We couldn’t get stops at the very end,” Ogunbowale added. “We had too many turnovers late and missed some key rebounds. That’s where we lost it.”
Historic Night for Dallas Basketball
Though the result didn’t go their way, the night was a milestone for the Wings and the city of Dallas. The franchise, which is expected to move downtown permanently in the coming years, showcased its viability as a major-market contender in the WNBA landscape.
“We felt the energy. It was loud,” Bueckers said. “To play here, in that kind of environment, it means a lot. We want to keep building off that.”
Yueru reflected on the moment with appreciation for the environment and honesty about the team’s early nerves playing on such a grand stage.
“Actually, that’s a really huge building, and there were so many fans,” Yueru said. “I think me and my teammates—we were all a little nervous at the start… We weren’t fully focused on the court, and it took us some time to get comfortable.”
She emphasized how much the crowd’s presence meant—not just for the team’s confidence on the court, but for the broader growth and visibility of the WNBA.
“We really appreciate all the fans who came to support us—and came to support the WNBA,” Yueru said. “That’s really important for us.”
Despite the defeat, Koclanes viewed the night as a meaningful step forward, not just in terms of the team’s growth, but in showcasing the franchise’s long-term potential on a big stage.
“I hope those who came for the first time will be back—we gained some more fans tonight,” Koclanes said. “There’s more of that to come. I’m grateful for the opportunity and loved that Dallas showed out. Disappointed in our start, but fans saw the fight and resiliency. You saw star players making plays. Overall, it was a good night for women’s basketball.”
The Wings continued without DiJonai Carrington (rib), Maddy Siegrist (right knee), Teaira McCowan (national team obligation), Tyasha Harris (left knee), and Luisa Geiselsöder (national team obligation). Dallas is expected to regain McCowan and Geiselsöder before the team’s July 3 matchup against the Phoenix Mercury. However, depth is being tested to the maximum.
The Wings (4–13) will look to bounce back Saturday night at College Park Center in Arlington against the Washington Mystics. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT.
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