Azzi Fudd caught fire at the right moment off the bench and Paige Bueckers led a balanced scoring attack as the Dallas Wings rolled past the Washington Mystics 92-69 in Arlington, Texas. Arike Ogunbowale, Jessica Shepard and Maddy Siegrist all chipped in, while Shakira Austin and Lauren Betts tried to keep the Mystics within striking distance. The win gave Dallas some breathing room early in the season and left both teams sitting at 2-2.
Fudd delivered a season-high 12 points in a spark-plug appearance, showing why she’s a coveted draft pick and a real offensive threat even when she’s not starting. Bueckers paced the squad with 18 points and seven assists, connecting on 4 of 5 attempts from beyond the arc. Her hot hand forced Washington to scramble on defense and opened lanes for teammates to score in transition.
Arike Ogunbowale provided reliable scoring with 16 points, and Jessica Shepard anchored the stat sheet with a 12-point, 16-rebound and six-assist line that changed the tone inside. Shepard’s rebound total matched the league’s single-game high this season, underlining her value on the glass and in ball distribution. That kind of all-around production made Dallas tougher to beat over four quarters.
The Wings built their margin with smart ball movement and pressure on the other end, turning 18 Mystics giveaways into 23 points. Nine of Bueckers’ teammates combined to go 7 of 19 from long range, which highlighted the messy but effective bench scoring. Dallas also notched 20-plus assists for the third time in four games, a stat that speaks to how often the ball found the right player in scoring position.
Dallas seized control late in the third quarter with a decisive 19-6 run that stretched the lead to 66-46, and the team extended that edge early in the fourth by scoring seven of the first nine points to make it 73-48. That sequence tightened Washington’s margin for error and forced the Mystics to play more aggressively, which only fed into Dallas’ transition game. By the final whistle, the Wings had led by as many as 25 points and never looked back.
For Washington, Shakira Austin led the way with 12 points while Lauren Betts added 11 off the bench, providing occasional interior scoring bursts. Kiki Iriafen finished with nine points and a team-high 10 rebounds, doing the gritty work that doesn’t always show up in highlight reels. Even with those efforts, the Mystics couldn’t consistently sustain scoring runs against a Wings squad that moved the ball and crashed the boards.
Maddy Siegrist gave Dallas a valuable scoring lift with 10 points off the bench, helping the Wings keep a steady second unit without a notable drop-off. The collective depth allowed Dallas to rotate players in and out without losing offensive rhythm or defensive intensity. That bench balance becomes a real asset over a long season, especially when the starters need rest during a tight schedule.
The result gave Dallas its first home victory in three attempts this year and left both teams even at 2-2 as the season opens. The Mystics will head west to Seattle for the first of a back-to-back set against the Storm beginning Sunday, while the Wings hit the road to start a three-game trip on Wednesday at Chicago. Each club has quick turnarounds and key matchups coming up that will shape early-season momentum.
