Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd Ride Off Into Connecticut Sunset

HARTFORD—Thursday evening was probably the Basketball Capital of the World’s final likelihood to see former native heroines and present Dallas Wings Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd stay earlier than its Connecticut Solar turns into the Houston Comets in a yr.

Assembled at PeoplesBank Area, the part-time dwelling of Bueckers and Fudd’s shared alma mater of UConn, for Dallas‘ go to, the gang was giant and wearing each the Huskies and Wings‘ shades of blue. The show recalled their sturdy assist for the gamers lengthy earlier than their WNBA careers, recalling the numerous Connecticut reminiscences such because the 2025 nationwide championship run. As the sport turned shut, the gang’s allegiance was clear, cheering loudly for Bueckers and Fudd at any time when they made clutch performs.

The Wings got here again to put up an 86-83 victory behind their efforts after trailing by as many as 14 factors and capturing beneath 35% at halftime. Dallas (12-8) held a double-figure benefit within the second half to take down the Solar in entrance of a near-sellout crown of 14,578.

Throwback Thursday

Harkening again to their days in Storrs, Dallas‘ Husky pack got here by when it mattered most.

Bueckers scored 25 factors, grabbed seven rebounds, dished seven assists and was an ideal 4-of-4 from the sphere within the fourth quarter. He step-back shot within the penultimate minute helped Dallas erase and 11-point deficit within the last body and he or she additionally sank the free throw that gave the Wings the lead for good with 25 seconds remaining.

Fudd added 4 factors, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. Each of her photographs from the sphere occurred in key moments late within the fourth quarter.

„It was a terrific crowd, it was a terrific setting,“ Bueckers mentioned. „It felt like a house sport in a way. There have been lots of people rooting for the Wings and for Connecticut alums, so the setting was nice. It was simply enjoyable to play again right here in Connecticut. I really like every little thing about it.“

Paige Bueckers tonight 🔥

• 25 factors • 7 rebounds • 7 assists • 9/14 FG pic.twitter.com/mqnX6XNXz3

— Ladies’s Hoops Community (@WomensHoops_USA) July 3, 2026

Heroine’s Exit

The constructing reserved its loudest cheers for the victorious moments. Bueckers made two essential three-point performs late within the sport that shifted the momentum completely. Every was met with a roaring response from the gang, together with a step-through the place she, feeling contact, merely launched the shot off a damaged inbound move by Connecticut.

Fudd, who had not scored within the first three quarters, hit a pull-up jumper with just below a minute remaining. It secured a quick Dallas lead earlier than Bueckers responded to an equalizer from fellow Husky Aaliyah Edwards on the foul line. PeoplesBank Area erupted for each Dallas events, reflecting a crowd that had lengthy been dedicated to the result.

„My teammates did a very good job of screening for me, getting me open off ball screens, getting me open in transition,“ Bueckers mentioned of the fourth-quarter surge. „So many alternative folks stepped up all through all the 40 minutes, and we simply performed a full sport and did not give up till the ultimate buzzer.“

Fudd’s line didn’t mirror a storybook sendoff, capturing 2-of-7. She relied on a easy message teammates flip to when photographs aren’t falling.

„Simply staying aggressive, all my teammates remind me to remain aggressive,“ Fudd mentioned. „My shot is not going to fall each single evening, so my objective is determining how I can influence the sport in different methods. Rebound, set screens, field out, be dependable on protection.“

Alanna Smith, getting back from damage with a minutes restrict, scored 11 factors on 4-of-6 capturing and confirmed how the 2 former Huskies carry themselves in a spot that regards them like royalty.

„You’ve got acquired two of probably the most humble superstars sitting up right here proper now,“ Smith mentioned. „They do not see themselves as higher than anybody else, which is wonderful as a result of they’ve a lot magnitude — particularly in a spot like this the place it felt like a house sport. I am simply joyful to be alongside for the experience with these two.“

Huskies without end 🫂

Paige Bueckers, Aaliyah Edwards, and Azzi Fudd pulled as much as as we speak’s Wings-Solar sport repping their @UConnwbb roots.

Tune in for the motion at 8pm/ET on Prime 📺 pic.twitter.com/24kMVYUc2s

— WNBA (@WNBA) July 2, 2026

Wings Fly in 2nd Half

Wings coach Jose Fernandez said that their difficulties weren’t attributable to lack of effort. He pointed to a 33% capturing share and the truth that two starters did not rating by halftime. A vital second got here when he substituted reserve Li Yueru to assist towards early double-teams on Brittney Griner. Along with the protection, Li supplied an enormous three-pointer that accomplished a 19-8 run with 1:51 remaining and set the stage of the Bueckers and Fudd present.

„Within the first half we tried to protect Brittney Griner with (Awak Kuier) and convey doubles, however Griner did a terrific job studying the double groups and discovering open teammates,“ Fernandez mentioned. „With Li, she confirmed a variety of resistance inside and actually bothered Griner’s imaginative and prescient. Then after we unfold the ground, Griner went to assist defensively and we discovered Li within the nook. She hit an enormous three.“

Fernandez additionally did not maintain again when requested in regards to the comparisons that adopted Bueckers all through her UConn profession, when rival followers would needle opponents with some model of „they’ve Paige Bueckers and you do not.“

„I might completely agree with that assertion,“ Fernandez mentioned. „She does issues each single day that you simply’re not shocked by anymore. Earlier than as we speak’s sport, she was making half-court photographs again and again. I ought to simply are available in each sport with $100 and hand it to her as a result of she retains making them. She made three of them as we speak. She’s such a competitor and such a winner. She refuses to lose. She by no means shies away from the large second. That is every little thing.“

All-Star State

A day earlier than her return to Connecticut, the WNBA introduced Bueckers as a 2026 All-Star starter for the second consecutive yr. Teammate Jessica Shepard additionally earned her first honor earlier than scoring 14 factors and 6 rebounds in Hartford.

With the Solar’s sale to Houston Rockets proprietor Tilman Fertitta finalized, Connecticut’s 23-year WNBA historical past is about to finish. That probably made Thursday the league’s final sport within the state that helped Bueckers and Fudd develop into champions.

Bueckers, with a toothy grin, is not able to say goodbye.

„It couldn’t be my final. I attempt to consider it that method. I do not know, possibly we are able to have an exhibition-type sport at Gampel on-campus, simply throwing that within the air, possibly for subsequent yr,“ she instructed.

„The assist all through all the 5 years, I do know it is going to proceed for the remainder of my life,“ Bueckers continued. „This entire state helps us, backs us and loves ladies’s basketball. We’ll without end be grateful, without end indebted, and it will all the time be a second dwelling.“

Two of Connecticut’s personal had been on the opposite bench, too. Edwards and Olivia Nelson-Ododa, each former Bueckers and Fudd teammates at UConn, mixed for 22 factors for the Solar, 9 alone coming for Edwards within the fourth. Bueckers made positive to credit score them even in a loss for his or her aspect.

„These are our sisters. That is household,“ Bueckers mentioned. „We’re competing towards one another tonight, so we each wished to win and go to warfare that method. However on the finish of the day it is all the time love. It is all the time a sisterhood.“