Indianapolis, IN (July 13, 2025) — The Dallas Wings were unable to slow down a red-hot Indiana Fever offense on Sunday afternoon, falling 102-83 in front of a sellout crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Despite a strong outing from Paige Bueckers and Li Yueru, the Wings couldn’t overcome a disastrous second quarter and the Fever’s efficient scoring attack.
With the loss, Dallas drops to 6-16 on the season while Indiana improves to 11-10. The two teams will meet again on August 1 in Dallas.
Bueckers Leads, Yueru Impresses Again
Rookie guard Paige Bueckers delivered yet another strong performance, posting 21 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals—her eighth game with 20 or more points this season. She continues to be the offensive engine for a Wings squad still finding its identity in the second half of the season.
Center Li Yueru followed up her 18-point effort against Chicago with 16 points, five boards, and two assists while setting a new career-high with eight made field goals. She has now scored in double figures in back-to-back games for the first time in her WNBA career.
JJ Quinerly chipped in 13 points in her fifth career start, extending her streak of double-digit scoring efforts to five consecutive games.
Early Spark, Then Second-Quarter Collapse
The Wings got off to a solid start in the first quarter, jumping out to a 16-11 lead behind early buckets from Yueru and a deep three from Bueckers. Dallas shot 55% from the field in the opening frame and kept pace with Indiana despite a late run from the Fever sparked by Sophie Cunningham’s perimeter shooting.
The second quarter, however, proved to be the turning point. Indiana unleashed a 33-9 run that buried Dallas and essentially decided the game. The Fever shot a blistering 76.2% from the floor in the second period, with Natasha Howard and Aliyah Boston doing most of the damage inside. The Wings had no answers defensively, allowing Indiana to post 64 points by halftime—a season-high for points in a half across the WNBA.
Dallas Shows Fight, But Not Enough
To their credit, the Wings didn’t fold. They outscored Indiana in both the third and fourth quarters, closing the third on an 11-3 run and extending that to 18-7 into the final period. Bueckers and Yueru were instrumental in the mini-comeback attempt, combining for 26 points in the second half. Luisa Geiselsöder also gave Dallas a lift off the bench, scoring five of her seven points in the final minutes of play.
Despite those efforts, the deficit proved too large to overcome. Indiana’s Caitlin Clark guided the offense with poise and precision, dishing out 13 assists to go along with her 14 points for her sixth double-double of the season. Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever in scoring with 20 points, while five players finished in double figures.
Stat Check
Dallas finished the game shooting 47.9% from the field and 42.1% from beyond the arc—both respectable numbers—but was again hampered by its free throw shooting (63.6%). The Wings were outrebounded and turned the ball over 13 times, leading to 17 Fever points.
Indiana’s 102-point total ties the most points Dallas has allowed in a game this season, matching the Phoenix Mercury’s output from July 7.
Looking Ahead
The Wings return home for a showdown against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday, July 16, at College Park Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CT. The game will air locally on KFAA and stream on WNBA League Pass. It will be Dallas’ final game before the All-Star break—a crucial opportunity to regroup and build momentum for the second half of the season.
________________________________________________________________________________
