Paige Bueckers Nearly Records Double-Double as Wings Lose to Kate Martin, Valkyries

Paige Bueckers nearly recorded a double-double in the Dallas Wings’ 90-81 loss to Kate Martin and the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday, as the Wings extended their losing streak to five games.

Bueckers finished with nine points and nine assists despite her struggles from the field on 3-of-12 shooting. Maddy Siegrist added 16 points and five rebounds, while Haley Jones and Myisha Hines-Allen each contributed 15 points. Hines-Allen also grabbed eight boards in the loss.

Dallas was officially eliminated from playoff contention last Wednesday in an 81-80 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks, when Kelsey Plum hit a buzzer-beater to end the Wings’ postseason hopes. With Sunday’s defeat, the Wings dropped to 9-29 and solidified their spot at the bottom of the WNBA standings.

Meanwhile for the Valkyries, Martin scored 12 points, adding five rebounds and two assists. Veronica Burton led the way for Golden State with 25 points, five rebounds and 13 assists.

With the win, the Valkyries improved to 19-18, pulling even with the Seattle Storm in the race for seventh place in the WNBA standings and snapping a three-game skid.

Bueckers struggled out of the gate, committing a turnover and missing her first two shots. Her early woes mirrored the team’s, as the Wings didn’t score their first points until Siegrist sank two free throws nearly four minutes into the opening quarter. Trailing 12-2, Dallas called a timeout in an effort to stop the bleeding.

Out of the break, Hines-Allen hit back-to-back buckets, but the Wings still trailed 23-12 after the first 10 minutes.

The momentum shifted in the second quarter, as the Wings opened with a 8-0 run. Dallas held the Valkyries to just 13 points in the period while pouring in 26 of their own to take a 38-36 lead into halftime.

Bueckers was held scoreless at the break, going 0-for-4 from the field, but contributed with five assists while running the offense. Hines-Allen led all scorers with 13 points and seven rebounds at the half.

Bueckers found her first basket early in the second half with a layup, and Siegrist followed with a three-pointer to keep the Wings ahead by three. Amy Okonkwo reached 12 points by the end of the third quarter, while Hines-Allen increased her total to 15, but Dallas trailed by four heading into the final frame.

The Valkyries opened the fourth quarter on a run, stretching their lead to 14 points and forcing a Dallas timeout. Just when it looked like Golden State would pull away for good, the Wings responded with a late surge, trimming the deficit to seven with just over 25 seconds remaining. However, time ran out, and the Valkyries held on to seal the win.

The Wings will host the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday in a matchup between two teams already eliminated from playoff contention.