ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Wings are heading into the WNBA break with a playoff berth secured, a four-game winning streak and a chance to make franchise history when they return.
Dallas defeated the Connecticut Sun 97-71 on Sunday at College Park Center, improving to 24-16 and continuing a remarkable turnaround one year after finishing with the worst record in the league.
The victory came five days after the Wings clinched their first postseason appearance since 2023 with a 96-78 win over the Portland Fire.
Dallas has now won four consecutive games and 14 more games than it did during its 10-34 season in 2025.
Arike Ogunbowale led the Wings with 18 points against Connecticut, while Jessica Shepard added 17 points and 10 rebounds for her 22nd double-double of the season.
Rookie guard Paige Bueckers finished with 15 points and six assists, and Maddy Siegrist scored 11.
The Wings pulled away after halftime.
Dallas carried a 13-point lead into the break before limiting Connecticut to 4-of-17 shooting in the third quarter.
The Wings outscored the Sun 23-12 in the period and continued to build their advantage on the way to their fourth straight victory.
The win gave Dallas 24 victories this season, the franchise’s highest total since the Detroit Shock went 24-10 in 2007.
The franchise record is 25 regular-season victories, set by the 2003 Shock, who went on to win the WNBA championship.
Dallas will have four games remaining when league play resumes, giving the Wings an opportunity to tie or surpass that mark.
The possibility of setting a franchise record adds another chapter to a season that has quickly changed the direction of the organization.
Dallas entered 2026 after winning just 10 games last season.
Under first-year head coach Jose Fernandez, the Wings have moved from the bottom of the WNBA standings into postseason contention while producing one of the league’s biggest year-over-year improvements.
Bueckers has played a significant role in the turnaround during her rookie season, while veterans including Ogunbowale and a productive supporting cast have helped give Dallas a more balanced lineup.
Shepard has also emerged as one of the league’s top rebounders and has set a Wings record with 22 double-doubles this season.
The Wings’ late-season surge has come despite losing rookie guard Azzi Fudd for the remainder of the season because of right knee soreness.
Fudd, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA draft, averaged 13.1 points in 30 games before being shut down.
Dallas later added Latvian guard Kitija Laksa on a contract for the remainder of the season through a season-ending injury exception.
With a playoff spot already secured, the Wings’ remaining games will determine where they land in the postseason bracket.
Dallas entered the break at 24-16 and in a three-way tie with the New York Liberty and Washington Mystics in the standings.
That leaves the Wings with an opportunity to improve their seed rather than simply prepare for an opening-round matchup from the bottom of the playoff field.
The league will now pause for the FIBA Women’s World Cup.
Dallas returns to action Sept. 17 against the Los Angeles Sparks at College Park Center.
The Wings will then host the Phoenix Mercury on Sept. 19 before closing the regular season with road games against Phoenix on Sept. 21 and Seattle on Sept. 23.
About the Author
