Rookie Azzi Fudd scored 17 of her season-high 24 points in the crucial third quarter as the Dallas Wings defeated the host New York Liberty 91-76 on Sunday afternoon.
Wings guard Paige Bueckers also had 24 points, and teammate Arike Ogunbowale added 19 points. Jessica Shepard collected 10 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
New York, which has lost two straight games, both at home, led for the entire first half before Fudd took over.
Fudd, the first pick in April’s WNBA draft, made 5 of 7 3-pointers in the third quarter. Her 17 points in the quarter tied the entire Liberty team as Dallas took a 71-61 lead into the fourth quarter. Fudd was so hot that one of her 3-pointers went in off the backboard.
New York got as close as 79-70 in the fourth quarter, but Dallas held on for the win.
For the game, Dallas shot 15-for-35 from 3-point range (42.9%). New York shot just 8-for-26 (30.8%).
Satou Sabally led the Liberty with 20 points. Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones added 14 points apiece.
Liberty point guard Sabrina Ionescu, who had been out due to an injured left foot, scored 11 points in her 2026 debut. However, she was scoreless in 16 second-half minutes.
Liberty reserve center Han Xu, the WNBA’s tallest player at 6-foot-11, made her first two 3-point attempts and finished with six points.
New York made its first five shots, bolting to an 11-2 lead. They led 20-17 by the end of the first quarter, managed to stay on top throughout the second quarter and went into halftime with a slim 44-43 advantage.
Ogunbowale led all first-half scorers with 13 points, and Bueckers added 11. Ionescu led New York with 11 points and six assists, while Sabally had 10 points.
Dallas finally took its first lead of the game 49-47 on Ogunbowale’s 3-pointer with 8:10 left in the third.
–Field Level Media
