INDIANAPOLIS — Paige Bueckers outplayed Caitlin Clark of their first head-to-head assembly of the 2026 season, Arike Ogunbowale scored 22 factors in her season debut, and Clark missed a 3-pointer with an opportunity to ship the sport to additional time because the Dallas Wings beat the Indiana Fever 107-104 on Saturday in entrance of a sold-out crowd of 17,274 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Bueckers completed with 20 factors on 8-of-10 taking pictures in 32 minutes, whereas Clark shot 7-of-18 with 5 turnovers in posting 20 factors, 5 rebounds, and seven assists. The end result was the form of assertion evening Dallas wanted to validate an offseason overhaul that included hiring head coach Jose Fernandez, drafting Azzi Fudd with the No. 1 total choose, and signing Alanna Smith, Jessica Shepard, and Odyssey Sims in free company.
Sims additionally scored 20 factors for Dallas, and Fudd added 3 factors in 18 minutes off the bench in her WNBA debut.
Kelsey Mitchell, who missed an opportunity to tie the sport on the remaining buzzer, led Indiana with 30 factors. Aliyah Boston completed with 23 factors.
A take a look at the Dallas Wings’ Insurgent Version uniforms, plus Alanna Smith is carrying a masks after a nasal fracture. pic.twitter.com/RA79H3P8q8
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) Could 9, 2026
Bueckers shot 8-of-10 from the sphere, and Sims shot 8-of-11. Shepard posted 13 factors, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists in her Wings debut.
Aziaha James transformed a four-point play when she was fouled on a made 3-pointer with 9:09 to go within the fourth quarter, placing the Wings forward 84-82. Dallas by no means trailed once more.
Clark missed a 3-pointer with about seven seconds remaining, and Mitchell’s miss on the buzzer adopted two missed free throws from Bueckers.
Dallas shot 59.1% from the sphere and 52.2% from deep. Indiana shot 51.9% from the sphere and made 29.2% from past the arc.
The competition, broadcast nationally on ABC, marked the primary season opener in WNBA historical past by which each groups scored 100 factors.
Dallas Builds Early Lead Behind Backcourt Manufacturing
Dallas opened with a beginning lineup of Sims, Bueckers, Ogunbowale, Shepard, and Smith underneath Fernandez. Sims scored eight factors within the first quarter, going 2-of-2 from past the arc to assist the Wings take a 27-25 lead after one.
The Wings shot 22-of-37 (59.5%) from the sphere within the first half and went 10-of-16 (62.5%) from three to take a 60-51 lead into the locker room. Ogunbowale led Dallas with 13 factors, 1 rebound, and 5 assists at halftime, whereas Bueckers and Shepard every had 10 factors.
Bueckers entered the sport eight factors shy of 700 for her profession and reached the mark on a 16-foot jumper with 6:02 remaining within the first half.
Indiana Surges within the Third, Wings Shut within the Fourth
Indiana outscored Dallas 29-20 within the third quarter to tie the sport at 80 getting into the fourth. Mitchell and Clark mixed for 11 of Indiana’s factors within the interval, whereas Sims paced the Wings with seven.
Fernandez stated he relied on a veteran closing group of Smith, Shepard, Sims, Ogunbowale, and Bueckers.
„I attempted to relaxation them as a lot as we might within the fourth, however I want we might have rested them a bit bit extra, most likely one other minute and a half for them to shut,“ Fernandez stated.
After James‘ four-point play, Ogunbowale added a fast-break layup to push the result in 86-82 and pressure an Indiana timeout with 8:57 to go. The Fever lower the deficit to at least one, 101-100, on a missed free throw put-back by Boston with 1:32 left, however Dallas held on on the line.
Sims made considered one of two free throws with 13.2 seconds remaining to provide Dallas a 107-104 lead earlier than Clark’s missed 3-pointer.
„Flopping all fucking day“ – Caitlin Clark 😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/vepX9I8hn9
— Shabazz 💫 (@ShowCaseShabazz) Could 9, 2026
Ogunbowale Units the Tone in Season Debut
Ogunbowale performed in her first sport since August 10, 2025, after lacking the ultimate 12 video games of the 2025 season with damage. She shot 8-of-15 from the sphere, 3-of-7 from 3-point vary, and scored 22 factors in 28 minutes.
Ogunbowale was a late arrival to coaching camp after ending a championship run in China, inflicting her to overlook each of the Wings‘ preseason video games. Fernandez praised her efficiency as a mirrored image of her movie examine and preparation, enabling her to hit the bottom working upon her return.
„I assumed it was a reasonably good efficiency,“ Fernandez stated. „As a crew, 26 assists on 39 baskets. We might wish to take greater than 66 pictures. However 60 % from the ground, 52 % from three. We missed some free throws down the stretch — that is not gonna occur. However it’s nice to begin off a season with a win.“
Ogunbowale stated establishing aggression early was a degree of emphasis.
„That is how we method the sport each sport. You wanna come out and be the aggressors,“ Ogunbowale stated. „They all the time have a giant crowd right here. Clearly, if they are going on runs, the group’s gonna get hype, and we kinda wished to settle that.“
Bueckers Reveals Effectivity, Shepard Practically Triple-Doubles
Bueckers completed with one turnover and went 1-of-3 from 3-point vary in her sophomore-season debut.
„She’s simply good. She makes good choices,“ Fernandez stated. „She reads how she’s being guarded. Having coached towards her and seeing her now, she sees issues two, 3 times forward of stuff. And that is outstanding.“
Shepard, who signed with Dallas within the offseason, completed one rebound and one help shy of a triple-double with 13 factors, 9 rebounds, 9 assists, and a pair of steals.
„It is what made her so enticing in free company — her skill to playmake, run the offense, be somebody that we are able to throw the ball to to alleviate stress, and simply make nice reads,“ Bueckers stated. „She will rating, rebound, go, defend. She’s actually an all-purpose 4 participant who can play all positions on the ground.“
Sims, who returned to Dallas for her first regular-season sport with the Wings since 2024, shot 2-of-3 from 3-point vary and added 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and a pair of steals.
„I am joyful to be with Dallas. I am again at house. I like it,“ Sims stated. „We bought this win at the moment. We’ll return, construct on it, and see how we will be higher subsequent sport.“
First factors for Paige Bueckers to kick off the 2026 season. pic.twitter.com/pX1pAwZR0V
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) Could 9, 2026
Stephanie White Factors to Defensive Lapses
Indiana coach Stephanie White stated her crew’s defensive self-discipline should enhance after permitting Dallas to shoot 59.1% from the sphere.
„We have got to be extra disciplined. The distinction of their uncontested seems to be from three in comparison with our contested seems to be was important,“ White stated. „Generally we over-rotated once we did not must. Generally we had protection breakdowns. We gave up an excessive amount of in transition and fouled too many shooters.“
Clark stated she handled a again problem that required changes within the locker room in the course of the sport.
„Simply getting my again adjusted. It will get out of line fairly rapidly, so it was simply getting my again put again in place a bit bit,“ Clark stated. „Apart from that, I really feel nice.“
Makayla Timpson added 11 factors off the bench for Indiana on 5-of-6 taking pictures in 19 minutes.
What’s Subsequent
Dallas returns house to host the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday at Faculty Park Heart within the Wings‘ house opener. Indiana travels to face the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday.
