TORONTO — The Dallas Wings delivered one of their most complete performances of the season on Sunday, defeating the Toronto Tempo 89-76 at Coca-Cola Coliseum behind another outstanding display from rookie sensation Paige Bueckers and fellow first-overall draft pick Azzi Fudd.
Bueckers continued her remarkable run of form with 22 points, seven assists and three rebounds, extending her streak to five consecutive games with at least 20 points. Fudd complemented her backcourt partner with 17 points, knocking down five three-pointers, as Dallas improved to 13-8 on the season.
The Wings established control from the opening minutes, hitting three consecutive shots from beyond the arc to open the scoring and never surrendering the lead. Their dominance on the boards and relentless second-chance opportunities proved decisive, with Dallas finishing the afternoon with a 42-35 rebounding advantage and converting 20-6 in second-chance points.
Center Jessica Shepard produced another influential performance, recording a 14-point, 15-rebound double-double that anchored Dallas at both ends of the floor.
Toronto entered the contest severely undermanned. Star guard Brittney Sykes remained sidelined with a foot injury, rookie Kiki Rice continued recovering from an ankle problem, Temi Fagbenle missed the game with an eye injury, and starting point guard Julie Allemand was ruled out shortly before tip-off after suffering a left ankle injury during pre-game preparations.
The late withdrawal forced head coach Sandy Brondello to reshuffle her lineup and operate without a natural point guard.
“I don’t like these surprises just before the game,” Brondello said afterward. “It kind of hurt us because we had no point guards, and you could tell out there.”
Toronto activated recently signed development player Ornella Bankole, who made her club debut after only a short time with the team.
Despite the depleted roster, Marina Mabrey continued her impressive form, leading the Tempo with 19 points, five rebounds and five assists in her return from a neck injury. Veteran guard Kia Nurse added 12 points off the bench, while Spanish forward Maria Conde grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds.
The afternoon also highlighted the growing popularity of women’s basketball in Canada. Many fans inside Coca-Cola Coliseum wore Dallas Wings jerseys, eager to watch Bueckers and Fudd make their first WNBA appearance in Toronto.
Before the game, Bueckers praised the city’s basketball culture.
“Canada, Toronto specifically, loves women’s basketball and loves sports in general. I’m really happy there’s a team here.”
The Wings now travel to face the New York Liberty, while Toronto will attempt to bounce back on Wednesday when it hosts the Golden State Valkyries before taking its Cross-Canada Series to Montreal later this week, where a crowd of more than 22,000 could set a new WNBA attendance record.
For Dallas, Sunday’s victory reinforced the team’s growing confidence as Bueckers and Fudd continue to develop into one of the league’s most exciting young backcourts. For Toronto, getting healthy quickly may prove just as important as any tactical adjustment as the expansion club looks to remain in the playoff race.
