Original Publish Date: July 29, 2025
Article Link: https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/article311498051.html
After a 12-point win over the defending champs New York Liberty Monday night at College Park Center, the Dallas Wings are 7-8 over their last fifteen games after going 1-12 to start the season.
Following a 26-point loss to the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday, coach Chris Koclanes said he wanted to see the chemistry the team has built this season to translate more onto the court.
“This team is super connected in the locker room, and that’s wonderful,” Koclanes said. “We’ve got to be better on the floor. And better won’t always equate to wins and losses, but I just want us to play a more disciplined brand of basketball on both sides of the ball, and so every day, just striving to hold ourselves individually more accountable and then collectively, just to higher standards.”
The chemistry from the lockeroom seemed to translate onto the court as Arike Ogunbowale and Paige Bueckers combined for 40 points in the 92-80 win over the defending WNBA champions, with Ogunbowale recording a career-high 14 assists. The Notre Dame product said increased communication between herself and Bueckers has contributed to their recent performances.
“We’re kind of two leads on this team,” Ogunbowale said. “And a lot of stuff goes through us, so we have to be on the same page, and we’ve been really intentional about it.”
The growth is something Koclanes said he has noticed developing over the season.
The growth is something Koclanes said he has noticed developing over the season.
“They’re being extremely intentional about, ‘Hey, we can do this together,’ Koclanes said. “Forget what the media is saying. Forget the narratives that are out there. We’re in control of the narrative. And so the more we can trust in each other and pour into each other, the better off this thing is going to be. They’re just both extremely mature, and they’re all about the right things, and they want the best for each other and for this entire team and organization. So it’s a good, budding special relationship that they have.”
Ogunbowale also credited a simplified offense as a cause for the Wings’ continued chemistry on the court.
“We kind of know where each other is going to be now,” Ogunbowale. “And we’re building that chemistry where, you know, we know our fours are going to be our fives. The rest of the guards on the court and just learning each other. I think just day by day, we’re learning each other and building that with all 11 players. And I think that’s showing on the court.”
While the Wings’ performance has grown over the course of the season, rookie guard Bueckers has adjusted quite well from Gampel Pavilion to College Park Arena. Bueckers is averaging 18.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game.
In 20 games, the 22-year-old from UConn is eighth in the league in points per game and assists. She is also third in the league in steals per game. In all three stats, Bueckers is first among all rookies. Koclanes said Buecker’s performance this season is making a statement.
“Paige is young and a rookie,” Koclanes said. “And is looking to establish herself, and she certainly will.”
Bueckers has put up double-digit points in all 20 games she’s played this season, including her first WNBA double-double against the Minnesota Lynx on May 21.
Bueckers said after the game that her confidence is the one area she feels she’s grown the most during the season.
“I think I’ve grown more confidence in being a leader and talking and communicating,” Bueckers said. “Calling huddles, just always having something to say. Something to always coach on the floor. I think using my voice, and my teammates have done a great job of being receptive to it. Even as a rookie, we all just want to win, so all of our voices matter.”
Despite the increased confidence in her leadership, Bueckers still has aspects of the game that she thinks she and her team can work on.
“I think it’s still continuing,” Bueckers said. “Continuing to grow. We felt like we haven’t done a great job the last couple of games. Either one person going off, or all five, six people are in double digits, so we wanted to clean that up and really just make things more difficult. It’ll make things easier for us on offense and getting out of transition, but dictating more, disrupting more. And so that’s the emphasis moving forward.”
The Wings will host the Atlanta Dream on Wednesday, July 30 before the highly anticipated matchup against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on Friday, Aug. 1.