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WNBA: Bueckers wins in return to Connecticut as Wings earn first victory

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Paige Bueckers had a triumphant return to Connecticut by scoring a career-best 21 points as Dallas won their 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.

Bueckers 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.

Tina Charles led the Sun with 27 points, and Marina Mabrey added 19.

Stewart helps keep Liberty unbeaten

Breanna Stewart scored 24 points, Jonquel Jones added 13 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, and the New York Liberty never trailed in a 95-67 win over the Golden State Valkyries.

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.

Mercury beat winless Sky

Satou Sabally scored 20 points, rookie Kitija Laksa added a season-high 18 points, and the Phoenix Mercury rallied from a 16-point deficit in the second half and beat the winless Chicago Sky 94-89.

Alyssa Thomas had 10 points, 15 assists, seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks for the Mercury. Thomas moved past Tamika Catchings (1,488) into 12th place in WNBA history with 1,503 career assists. The five-time All-Star became the first player in WNBA history with at least 10 points, five assists and five rebounds in each of the first five games of a season.

Kathryn Westbeld and Monique Akoa Makani - who was a game-time decision due to illness - scored 13 points apiece and combined to hit five 3-pointers in the fourth quarter for the Mercury.

Angel Reese had 13 points and 15 rebounds for the Sky. Ariel Atkins added a season-high 21 points, Kamilla Cardoso had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Courtney Vandersloot finished with 15 points and 11 assists. Kia Nurse, who entered the game shooting 6.6% (1 of 15) from beyond the arc this season, scored 14 points, including four 3s.