The Wings and Mystics walked into College Park Center eager to snap out of their four-game losing streaks. Both teams, having traded away key players to build for the future, faced off in a matchup filled with quite a lot of intrigue among the fans. And of course, there was a Rookie of the Year discourse to be had as well—Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen going up against Paige Bueckers. But in the end, it was the Mystics’ rookie duo who stepped up and proved they’re the real deal. And Coach Koclanes was sympathetic towards his talisman after the game.

Paige finished the game with 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including two 3-pointers, but that wasn’t enough to help the Wings win. The Mystics’ duo of Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron combined for 41 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists, leading Washington to a 91-78 victory. The Wings held a 14-point lead, but it quickly disappeared into thin air. In the post-game conference, Chris Koclanes pointed to the real reason for the loss. The Mystics had made it difficult for Paige to get shots off.

He said, “I think they were aggressive with her at the point of attack, you know? So, they’re going to challenge other people to beat you, right? When you can bring two people to her, it’s—let’s get her off the ball and make other people have to beat you. Then you can put her off the ball and try to get her on the move. Citron’s top blocking and just being really physical makes it really hard for her to get touches… But credit to Paige that she is just going to continue to fight, continue to keep moving, and do whatever she has to do to help the team win, even if it’s not getting as many shots as we’d like her to get.“

As the coach revealed in the interview, double-teaming her paid off for the Mystics, as none of the Wings players had a strong shooting night. Arike went 4-10 from the field, Grace Berger 0-5, Haley Jones 3-9, and Luisa Geiselsoder 2-7. Far from ideal for Dallas, but a clear sign that the Mystics’ game plan worked.

Overall, the Wings shot just 36.5% from the field and knocked down only 8 threes. They surrendered 22 points off 14 turnovers and scored just 20 points in the paint, while the Mystics dominated inside with 48. It was a complete collapse for Dallas, especially after holding an 11-point lead going into the third quarter.

That said, Paige kept her double-digit scoring streak alive and added yet another WNBA record to her name. For the Dallas Wings guard, breaking records has become second nature. Let’s dive in!

Paige Bueckers creates WNBA history

The Dallas Wings’ dreams of making the playoffs this season might very well be over, but that doesn’t stop Paige from doing what she does best: creating WNBA records. Her 17-point game against the Mystics may not have been enough to deliver Dallas their 9th win of the season, but it was enough to strengthen her case for Rookie of the Year.

According to Polymarket Hoops, Paige Bueckers has officially become the fastest rookie in WNBA history to tally 450+ points, 100+ rebounds, and 100+ assists. She did it in just 25 games. That shatters Caitlin Clark’s previous mark of 27 games. And she’s not stopping there. Paige now also owns the longest active streak in the league for consecutive games scoring in double figures. Safe to say, PaigeMania is running wild.

It’s a shame Paige’s big nights haven’t turned into wins for Dallas just yet, but her record-smashing rookie season is one she’ll remember fondly. And really, this feels like just the opening chapter. If she stays healthy, don’t be surprised if the Wings are fighting for the championship in the coming years.