WNBA: Paige Bueckers leads Wings to comeback win over Sun

Paige Bueckers scored a game-high 25 points as the Dallas Wings rallied from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Connecticut Sun, 86-83, on Thursday.

Jessica Shepard sealed the victory by sinking two free throws with three seconds remaining after grabbing a crucial defensive rebound. The Wings completed the comeback after trailing by as many as 13 points in the second quarter.

Connecticut held an eight-point lead at halftime, 43-35, but Dallas gradually chipped away at the deficit. Azzi Fudd's jumper cut the lead to four with just over five minutes remaining before Bueckers made a layup to bring the Wings within two points.

Dallas tied the game at 78 on Li Yueru's 3-pointer with 1:51 left before Bueckers converted a three-point play to give the Wings their first lead of the closing minutes.

The Sun answered with a basket and free throw from Aaliyah Edwards to tie the game again. After Fudd and Edwards exchanged baskets, Bueckers made one of two free throws with 25.9 seconds left to put Dallas ahead by one.

Leila Lacan missed a contested jumper with five seconds remaining, allowing Shepard to secure the rebound. She was immediately fouled and calmly made both free throws to extend the Wings' lead to three.

Connecticut was unable to attempt a game-tying 3-pointer before time expired.

Shepard finished with 14 points, while Alanna Smith added 11 as Dallas improved to 12-8 and snapped a two-game losing streak.

Lacan led the Sun with 18 points. Charlisse Leger-Walker scored 14, Brittney Griner recorded 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Edwards and Olivia Nelson-Ododa contributed 11 points each. Connecticut dropped to 4-16 as its two-game winning streak came to an end.

The Sun closed the opening quarter on a 7-0 run to take a 22-16 lead and extended the advantage to 32-20 in the second period after Kennedy Burke completed a three-point play. However, Bueckers' floater just before halftime trimmed the deficit to 43-35.

Bueckers and Lacan each scored 12 first-half points to pace their respective teams. Connecticut stretched its lead back to 14 early in the third quarter on Griner's turnaround jumper, but Dallas mounted a strong finish to complete the comeback. -Field Level Media/Reuters