Collier Steals Spotlight as Bueckers Makes WNBA Debut

Napheesa Collier poured in 34 points, dampening the WNBA debut of former UConn teammate Paige Bueckers as the Minnesota Lynx secured a 99-84 victory over the Dallas Wings in their season opener on Friday night.

Bueckers, the top overall pick in this year’s draft, notched 10 points, including the first basket of the season for Dallas, in front of a packed crowd of 7,000 at Texas-Arlington’s arena. She also grabbed seven rebounds and dished out two assists but struggled from beyond the arc, missing both of her 3-point attempts and finishing 3-of-10 from the field.

Collier sparked a decisive 13-1 run in the third quarter, scoring a close-range shot and capping the stretch with a free throw to extend the Lynx lead to 71-58. The Lynx, who reached the WNBA Finals last year before falling to the New York Liberty, were bolstered by Courtney Williams’ 25 points and nine assists, along with Jessica Shepard’s 15 points and eight rebounds.

Dallas was led by All-Star guard Arike Ogunbowale, who scored 16 points, while DiJonai Carrington, a recent addition from the Connecticut Sun, added 15. Bueckers’ first assist came in the second half, setting up a 3-pointer by Carrington that briefly gave the Wings a 51-50 edge.

The tightly contested first half, marked by frequent fouls, ended in a 46-46 tie after Ogunbowale hit two free throws and Carrington’s late steal set up Maddy Siegrist for a buzzer-beating layup.

Bueckers found herself in a challenging matchup early, committing a foul while defending the taller Collier, leading to a lighthearted exchange at the free throw line before Collier sank both shots.