Back on familiar ground at Mohegan Sun, Bueckers delivered a statement performance while keeping her undefeated Connecticut record alive

Paige Bueckers defies referee after emotional reaction in a win that left Geno Auriemma with only one minor critique

 

There’s something about Connecticut that brings out the best in Paige Bueckers. In five collegiate seasons at UConn, she never lost a game at Mohegan Sun Arena.

And when she returned to that building as a professional on May 27 with the Dallas Wings, she kept that perfect streak intact.

Paige Bueckers nails chill first pitch after anxious warmup

But in the rematch, her win came with a new experience-her first career technical foul.

The matchup featured two UConn legends on opposite sides: Bueckers and veteran forward Tina Charles.

The game had extra weight, not just because of the setting, but because Coach Geno Auriemma and several current Huskies were in the crowd watching. Dallas came in with just two wins and ranked 13th in the league, but had picked up momentum after a hard-fought win over the Valkyries.

Against the Connecticut Sun, Bueckers and her teammates pulled off an 86-83 victory. It was far from easy. Rookie Saniya Rivers caused chaos early, and Bueckers was held to just one field goal in the first quarter. But the second frame flipped the script.

Not only did Bueckers heat up, she also picked up a rare moment of controversy.

“I clapped twice and I said ‘and one’ and he said I clapped in his face. That’s all,” Bueckers explained postgame, describing the moment that earned her a technical foul after sinking a jumper.

Bueckers delivers on the court – and in the All-Star race

The outburst didn’t derail her performance. Bueckers closed the half with 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting and helped ignite a second-half surge alongside fellow rookie Aziaha James.

Dallas launched a 12-0 run that gave them breathing room. The Sun pushed back, but rebounding issues and costly fouls hurt their chances. The Wings went 24-of-30 from the free throw line, while Connecticut was outrebounded 42-29 and dropped to 2-11 – its worst record through 13 games in franchise history.

For Bueckers, though, the game was another step forward. Still unbeaten in Connecticut, now 17-0 at Mohegan Sun, she is finding rhythm and rising quickly in league-wide recognition.

She has become a top contender for Rookie of the Year and is climbing the All-Star leaderboard.

Despite missing four games earlier in the season, the No. 1 overall pick is making her presence felt. Early All-Star voting results place her sixth overall with 312,920 votes.

At the top of the list is Caitlin Clark with 515,993, followed by MVP frontrunner Napheesa Collier. Aliyah Boston, A’ja Wilson, and Breanna Stewart round out the top five.

The WNBA continues to be defined by standout young talent, and Bueckers is proving that she belongs in that conversation – not just with her scoring, but with her fire, poise, and presence in the biggest moments