The College Park Center crowd rose as the ball dropped through the net, the basket snapped on the way down and Paige Bueckers celebrated with a forceful fist pump.
The Dallas Wings guard had just hit a 3-pointer while being fouled with 30.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter against the Chicago Sky on Saturday night in Arlington. Bueckers completed the 4-point play by making the free throw, cutting Dallas’ deficit to one.
Li Yueru, who set the screen that freed Bueckers for the 3, then delivered the decisive moment by sinking the two free throws that put the Wings ahead.
Jacy Sheldon’s final shot missed, and Azura Stevens was unable to convert the putback attempt. Chicago, now 4-11, lost its fifth straight game and fell to 1-10 over its last 11 after surrendering a 14-point fourth-quarter lead on the road.
Dallas improved to 10-6 with the 93-92 victory, matching its win total from last season, when the Wings finished 10-34.
The Sky carried a 71-57 lead into the fourth quarter but could not hold it. The loss marked another painful finish for Chicago, which recently fell on a Sabrina Ionescu game-winner to the New York Liberty and lost in overtime to the Indiana Fever last week.
Kamilla Cardoso led Chicago with a season-high 26 points, shooting 10 of 13 from the field. She added nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
Dallas got a major contribution from Jessica Shepard, who continued her All-Star-caliber season with 21 points, eight rebounds and three assists. All but four of Shepard’s points came in the second half.
Bueckers filled the box score with 19 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.
The Wings outscored the Sky 36 points in the fourth quarter, with Bueckers’ late 4-point play and Li’s free throws completing the comeback.