Paige Bueckers scored 22 points and added seven assists Sunday afternoon as the visiting Dallas Wings defeated the Toronto Tempo 89-76.
The Wings (13-8), who have opened a four-game road trip with two straight wins, took control of the game in the second half to give the Tempo (9-11) their second straight loss.
Azzi Fudd added 17 points for the Wings and Jessica Shepard had 14 points and 15 rebounds. Arike Ogunbowale scored 10 points. Awak Kuier also scored 10 points and blocked three shots.
Marina Mabrey, who missed the previous game with neck spasms, scored 19 points for the Tempo. Nyara Sabally added 14 points, Isabelle Harrison scored 13 points and Kia Nurse scored 12. Maria Conde contributed 10 rebounds.
Dallas took a 12-point lead into the fourth quarter and the margin reached 14 with 8:22 to go on Shepard’s floating bank shot. Sabally’s turnaround 6-footer cut the lead to nine with 6:02 left.
The Wings used a 7-0 surge to take a 16-point lead with 4:10 to play. Sug Sutton’s layup increased the margin to 20 points with 2:46 remaining.
Dallas led 30-19 after the first quarter, a margin that reached 13 on several occasions in the second quarter of a fast-paced game. The Wings’ continued advantage in rebounding was telling.
Nurse nailed a pair of 3-pointers to help trim the margin to 10 points. Sabally completed a three-point play to cut the margin to seven with 1:04 remaining. Mabrey completed the first-half scoring with a driving lineup to reduce the Dallas lead to 47-42.
Dallas had a 25-16 advantage in first-half rebounding and an 11-2 edge in second-chance points in the first half.
Toronto opened the scoring in the third quarter before Dallas used an 8-0 run to lead by 11.
Fudd’s 29-foot 3-pointer gave the Wings a 15-point lead with 5:07 left in the third quarter. The Tempo responded with a 7-0 run, but Bueckers hit a superb turnaround fadeaway jumper that increased the lead to 13 with 34 seconds left. Dallas led 71-59 after three quarters.
Toronto’s Julie Allemand was a late scratch because of a left ankle injury, and her playmaking was missed.
–Field Level Media
