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Paige Bueckers returned to Connecticut, her home in college, on Tuesday as the Dallas Wings took their first win of the WNBA season against the Sun. The game was played inside Mohegan Sun Arena, where Bueckers made her name while playing for the University of Connecticut.
Bueckers expressed a strong statement about returning to the arena she had once called home, where she's apparently yet to lose, extending that streak while playing in the WNBA for the Wings.
"I don't think I ever lost here, so I was trying to carry that into here tonight,” Bueckers said.
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Bueckers, the top pick of the 2025 WNBA draft, went 15-0 during her collegiate days inside the arena, including Big East Championship wins for UConn.
All too familiar with the building as a college player, Bueckers had her highest-scoring game this season, putting up 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting, apart from seven assists and five rebounds.
Bueckers, who was on the receiving end of cheers from the Connecticut crowd throughout the game, finally eclipsed the 20-point mark this season against the Sun.
She also played in front of some of her former UConn teammates, including Kaitlyn Chen, Jana El Al, Ice Brady and Caroline Ducharme, welcoming her back to the city that had made her a superstar.
Paige Bueckers expresses joy in first WNBA win with the Dallas Wings
Paige Bueckers’ first win gave her a glimpse of what it feels like to win in the WNBA. She talked about how the Wings stayed connected throughout the game and how it allowed them to create opportunities for each other.
"It felt great to play like that as a team and put a full 40 minutes together and come out with a win as a team and stay connected as a team. … There is definitely stuff to improve on but to put it together like that felt good,” Bueckers said.
"I took what the defense gave me, and my teammates did a great job setting screens and getting me open," she said.
In five games, Paige Bueckers is averaging 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game, playing 33 minutes per game for the Wings. The rookie is expected to continue finding her groove as the season goes by.
