Latest news with #Bueckers
Chicago Tribune
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Courtney Vandersloot breaks wife Allie Quigley's franchise scoring record in the Chicago Sky's 1st win
All is fair in love and basketball for Courtney Vandersloot. The Chicago Sky point guard proved that in the third quarter of Thursday night's 97-92 win over the Dallas Wings when she broke the all-time franchise scoring record with a pull-up jumper. Vandersloot finished with 13 points to raise her career total with the Sky to 3,728. She added nine assist and four steals. The historic moment was also a family affair — after all, she broke a record held by her wife, Allie Quigley. The retired Sky star watched from a suite at Wintrust Arena while holding their daughter, Jana, who was born in April. Vandersloot, 36, was a fixture in the Sky's history books long before the game. The captain helped bring the Sky their first title in 2021 and shattered league records in per-game and single-game assist totals. By the time she left the franchise for the New York Liberty in 2023, Vandersloot had cemented her legacy in Chicago. When she made the decision to return this year, Vandersloot only renewed that loyalty — and earned another chance to win bragging rights back home. 'I try not to get attached to individual records — because records are meant to be broken, and this one will be at some point,' Vandersloot said after the win. 'But for me to pass my wife, I think it speaks (to) our commitment together to this franchise. She's a scorer and deserves this record, but I think she's going to let me hold onto it for a while. We'll be a one-two punch for a while.' Similar to the Sky, the Wings were almost unrecognizable from the 2024 iteration of their team. The revamped roster is now centered around 2025 No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers, who drew a crowd of UConn fans for the game. Bueckers entered the NCAA in the same year as Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso but declared for the draft one year later because of extensive injuries throughout her college career. Although the three were faces of the high-powered 2020 high school class, their paths rarely crossed at the collegiate level — Bueckers briefly shared the court with Cardoso in a 2022 NCAA Tournament game and had never played against Reese until Thursday night. Despite that lack of experience on the court, Bueckers knew what to expect from the Sky's star frontcourt pairing in Chicago. 'They just work extremely hard,' said Bueckers, who had 15 points, eight assists, three blocks and three steals for the Wings (1-5). 'They're very consistent in the energy they bring every single night. Regardless of the circumstances, you know they're gonna crash the boards, run the floor, they really want to get out in transition. They're incredible competitors.' Those young stars were center stage in the Sky's first win. Cardoso scored their first 10 points to help build an early 13-point lead. The center went on to score a career-high 23 points to fuel the Sky (1-4) to a clutch win despite falling behind in the second half after an offensive lull. Reese struggled again, scoring six points on 2-for-6 shooting. She added nine rebounds and five assists. An All-Star as a rookie in 2024, Reese is shooting 31.3% (15-for-48) and averaging 9.2 points. Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale, a four-time All-Star, led all scorers with 37 points. The Notre Dame graduate and Milwaukee native shot 14-for-25 overall and 6-for-12 from 3-point range. The Sky head to Dallas for a rematch Saturday.
NBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- NBC News
Paige Bueckers gets first win as a pro in return to Connecticut
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Paige Bueckers returned to a familiar place to get the first win of her WNBA career. The No. 1 pick in the draft by the Dallas Wings had lost the first four games as a pro and couldn't remember a longer losing streak in her storied basketball career. She wouldn't let it get to five. Bueckers scored a season-best 21 points in the Wings' 109-87 victory over Connecticut on Tuesday night. "Felt great just to play like that as a team and obviously that environment is special to me," the former UConn star said. "To play like that as a team and put a full 40 minutes together. ... It felt good to be out there." It's been a week of homecomings for Bueckers as the former UConn star played in the state of Connecticut for the first time since helping the Huskies win the school's 12th national championship nearly two months ago. Six days before the game in Connecticut, she played in Minnesota, where she grew up. With the victory, Bueckers remained unbeaten at Mohegan Sun Arena, where the Sun plays their home games. She went 15-0 at the arena, including winning four Big East championships while playing for UConn. "I don't think I ever lost here. I was trying to carry that into tonight," Bueckers said. Tuesday night was like a home game for Bueckers, who received a loud ovation from the sellout crowd when introduced before the game. Many fans were wearing her No. 5 jersey from UConn and Dallas, cheering everything she did. The St. Teresa's basketball team was sitting on the bench pregame and screamed with jubilation when Bueckers ran onto the court. Bueckers gave them and the rest of the crowd — which included a few of her former Huskies teammates — a lot to cheer about. She got Dallas (1-4) going early with seven points and four assists in the opening quarter as she was aggressively attacking for baskets or finding opening teammates. She finished the half with 15 points as the Wings took control, going up by 14 points at the break. "She just continues to do things that should be surprising but aren't," Wings coach Chris Koclanes said. "I take a step back to just appreciate, the type of player and even more so the type of person that she is." A day earlier, Bueckers posted on Instagram a video of a surprise meeting that Verizon put together of people who had benefited from a food security project that the guard started in Minnesota in 2022. As Chegg's first student-athlete brand ambassador, Bueckers worked to raise awareness about student hunger, an issue that had worsened due to the pandemic. "It was a total, complete surprise just for them to bring in those people who have been a part of my story and been a part of my journey.," Bueckers said. "It means so much to give back, to see the impact firsthand. It's truly inspiring. I was extremely grateful for that." Koclanes has been impressed with Bueckers mental approach to the game on and off the court and how much she invests into it. "She wants to really be a great leader and is committing time into developing those skills to help this culture and her teammates as a rookie." he said. "So that's been really impressive on the floor. I think you take for granted some of the things she's able to do. But extremely high IQ, she's picked up, you know, concepts and reads, very early. And then it's just, you know, she'll adapt to the physicality." Dallas returns on June 20 to play at Connecticut for a second and final time this season.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Paige Bueckers 2025 WNBA MVP prop bets and current odds
Paige Bueckers 2025 WNBA MVP prop bets and current odds To win the 2025 WNBA Most Valuable Player award, Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings is currently +15000. Stay on top of her latest stats, trends and odds with the intel provided below. Bueckers has pulled down 4.4 rebounds per game this year, and also is averaging 6.4 assists (sixth in league) and 14.6 points. Defensively, she is averaging 1.8 steals and 0.6 blocked shots, and her turnover average is 2.2. Paige Bueckers futures odds WNBA odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Wednesday at 5:13 a.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub. MVP Odds: +15000 (12th in WNBA, Bet $100 to win $15000) +15000 (12th in WNBA, Bet $100 to win $15000) ROY Odds: -500 (1st in WNBA, Bet $500 to win $100) Bueckers' next game Matchup: Dallas Wings at Chicago Sky Dallas Wings at Chicago Sky Game Day: May 29, 2025 May 29, 2025 Game Time: 8 p.m. ET 8 p.m. ET TV Channel: Amazon Prime Video, The U, KFAA Amazon Prime Video, The U, KFAA Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo (regional restrictions may apply) Watch this game on Fubo Live Stream: Watch this game on Amazon Prime Sign up for Fubo to watch WNBA games live! Paige Bueckers stats
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Bueckers leads Wings past the Sun for 1st win of season
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Paige Bueckers had a triumphant return to Connecticut by scoring a career-best 21 points as Dallas won its first game of the season, beating the Sun 109-87 on Tuesday night. Bueckers, the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft, shot 8 for 10 from the field and finished with seven assists and five rebounds. Bueckers remained perfect at Mohegan Sun Arena, where the Sun play their home games. She went 15-0 at the building in college while playing for UConn, including winning four Big East championships with the Huskies. Many of her former teammates were in attendance Tuesday night. She received a loud ovation from the sellout crowd when introduced before the game, and many fans were wearing her No. 5 jersey from UConn and Dallas. LIBERTY 95, VALKYRIES 67 NEW YORK (AP) — Breanna Stewart scored 24 points, Jonquel Jones added 13 points, 10 rebounds and five assists and New York never trailed in a win over Golden State. The defending WNBA champion, New York (4-0) has won eight consecutive regular-season games. Kayla Thornton, who was selected by the Valkyries in December's expansion draft, and Veronica Burton scored 13 points apiece to lead Golden State and Temi Fagbenle added 11. Thornton spent the last two seasons with the Liberty. Marine Johannes scored 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting from 3-point range for the Liberty. Natasha Cloud had 10 of New York's season-high 30 assists. LYNX 82, STORM 77 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Courtney Williams scored 23 points, Napheesa Collier had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Minnesota held on to beat Seattle in a matchup of early season leaders in the Western Conference. The Lynx extended their season-opening winning streak to five games and welcomed the return of Kayla McBride, who missed the first four games for personal reasons. Minnesota led by double digits early before Seattle's Dominique Malonga scored to open the fourth quarter and pulled the Storm within 54-53. The Lynx maintained their lead and consecutive 3-pointers by Williams and Alanna Smith made it 70-64 near the four-minute mark. Seattle scored the next four points, and it was 76-73 with 27 seconds remaining. McBride added four free throws and Minnesota led 80-74 with 14 seconds remaining. Erica Wheeler hit a 3 for Seattle, Collier added two more free throws for the Lynx, and the Storm turned it over on their final possession.
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Bueckers leads Wings past the Sun for 1st win of season
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Paige Bueckers had a triumphant return to Connecticut by scoring a career-best 21 points as Dallas won its first game of the season, beating the Sun 109-87 on Tuesday night. Bueckers, the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft, shot 8 for 10 from the field and finished with seven assists and five rebounds. Bueckers remained perfect at Mohegan Sun Arena, where the Sun play their home games. She went 15-0 at the building in college while playing for UConn, including winning four Big East championships with the Huskies. Many of her former teammates were in attendance Tuesday night. She received a loud ovation from the sellout crowd when introduced before the game, and many fans were wearing her No. 5 jersey from UConn and Dallas. LIBERTY 95, VALKYRIES 67 NEW YORK (AP) — Breanna Stewart scored 24 points, Jonquel Jones added 13 points, 10 rebounds and five assists and New York never trailed in a win over Golden State. The defending WNBA champion, New York (4-0) has won eight consecutive regular-season games. Kayla Thornton, who was selected by the Valkyries in December's expansion draft, and Veronica Burton scored 13 points apiece to lead Golden State and Temi Fagbenle added 11. Thornton spent the last two seasons with the Liberty. Marine Johannes scored 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting from 3-point range for the Liberty. Natasha Cloud had 10 of New York's season-high 30 assists. LYNX 82, STORM 77 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Courtney Williams scored 23 points, Napheesa Collier had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Minnesota held on to beat Seattle in a matchup of early season leaders in the Western Conference. The Lynx extended their season-opening winning streak to five games and welcomed the return of Kayla McBride, who missed the first four games for personal reasons. Minnesota led by double digits early before Seattle's Dominique Malonga scored to open the fourth quarter and pulled the Storm within 54-53. The Lynx maintained their lead and consecutive 3-pointers by Williams and Alanna Smith made it 70-64 near the four-minute mark. Williams hit a couple of pull-up jumpers for a 76-69 lead with two minutes left. Seattle scored the next four points, and it was 76-73 with 27 seconds remaining. McBride added four free throws and Minnesota led 80-74 with 14 seconds remaining. Erica Wheeler hit a 3 for Seattle, Collier added two more free throws for the Lynx, and the Storm turned it over on their final possession.
