{"id":97889,"date":"2025-07-27T23:11:15","date_gmt":"2025-07-27T23:11:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/97889\/"},"modified":"2025-07-27T23:11:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-27T23:11:15","slug":"dallas-wings-routed-by-aces-as-aja-wilson-powers-las-vegas-with-double-double","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/97889\/","title":{"rendered":"Dallas Wings routed by Aces as A\u2019Ja Wilson powers Las Vegas with double-double"},"content":{"rendered":"

ARLINGTON \u2014 The first time the Dallas Wings<\/a> met the Las Vegas Aces in the regular season, the Aces played without their star A\u2019Ja Wilson. On Sunday afternoon at College Park Center, it was the Wings who missed their standout.<\/p>\n

Wings rookie Paige Bueckers sat out Sunday\u2019s contest to rest, as Dallas fell 106-80 to the Aces in front of a sold out crowd that included many Vegas fans and eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt.<\/p>\n

The odds went in Vegas\u2019 favor against the Wings for a third time this season, despite the best efforts of Dallas guard Arike Ogunbowale who finished with a team-high 18 points on 7-of-16 shooting.<\/p>\n

Dallas fell to 7-19 on the season and 0-3 against the Aces (13-13) on Sunday, suffering its worst loss to Vegas this year. The Wings dropped their first contest against Vegas 88-84 on June 13<\/a> and lost 90-86 to the Aces on July 16<\/a> just before the All-Star break. Wilson, the defending league MVP, recorded 37 points and 10 rebounds during that last meeting. Bueckers played in both previous meetings against the Aces, scoring 16 and 20 points, respectively.<\/p>\n

Sports Roundup<\/p>\n

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\u201cPaige wasn\u2019t in the lineup, so there\u2019s somebody missing that is a spark,\u201d Wings coach Chris Koclanes said. <\/p>\n

Wilson had a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double on Sunday and Jackie Young went 8-of-11 from the floor for 24 points, as the Wings failed to play a complete four quarters.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou kind of keep her somewhat in check,\u201d Koclanes said of Wilson. \u201cBut then everyone else goes off. You\u2019ve got to be able to do both. That\u2019s what defending is all about. Right now, we\u2019re very one-dimensional.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dallas started the first quarter in a 4-0 hole before DiJonai Carrington, making her first start<\/a> since the Wings\u2019 loss to the Aces on June 13, opened scoring with a driving layup. Down 12-7 at the 6:25 mark, the Wings went on a 6-0 run to take a 13-12 lead that prompted an Aces timeout with just under five remaining in the opening period. The first quarter ended with the game tied at 27.<\/p>\n

By halftime, the Wings trailed the Aces 56-44. While Dallas limited Wilson to four points in the opening quarter, she scored six in the second and helped fuel the Aces\u2019 surge before the break. Dallas could not get back into the game after the half, as Vegas outscored the Wings 50-36 in the final two quarters.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think defensively we just need to have more of a sense of urgency,\u201d guard-forward Haley Jones said.<\/p>\n

Sunday marked the Wings\u2019 first game of a back-to-back that continues Monday against a star-studded New York Liberty (17-7) team that won the 2024 WNBA Finals and boasts 2025 All-Star and three-point contest champion Sabrina Ionescu.<\/p>\n

Knowing they\u2019d be facing that level of starpower likely fueled the Wings\u2019 decision to rest Bueckers, who told reporters earlier this month that she has struggled with patellar tendinitis since high school and is often in pain after games<\/a>. Bueckers, an All-Star herself<\/a>, averages the most minutes on the team and leads the Wings in points (18.1), assists (5.6) and steals (1.8).<\/p>\n

While players such as Jones (15 points, 5-of-8 shooting), Carrington (14 points, 7-of-15 shooting) and center Teaira McCowan (12 points, 13 rebounds) stepped up in her absence and Ogunbowale has seemed to climb out of her shooting slump, the Wings ran into the same problems they did in previous contests with the Aces.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s on to New York now.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to learn from this one, but you\u2019ve gotta learn quick,\u201d Jones said. \u201cI think it\u2019s kind of nice having a back-to-back. We can forget about this one and then focus on tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wings not soaring: See photos from Bueckers-less Dallas squad’s loss to Aces, A’Ja Wilson with Usain Bolt in attendance<\/p>\n

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