Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd's Final Box Score Stats, Highlights as Wings Beat Mercury

The Dallas Wings are on fire.

Paige Bueckers and Co. improved to 8-4 overall and 5-1 in their last six with an 85-70 victory over the Phoenix Mercury in Thursday's WNBA Commissioner's Cup game at College Park Center.

Bueckers was unstoppable on her way to 31 points behind red-hot 14-of-20 shooting from the field, while Jessica Shepard stuffed the stat sheet in a supporting role. Rookie Azzi Fudd scored in double figures for the fourth time in six games, and the game was never truly in doubt during the second half.

Dallas Wings
Player	Points	Rebounds	Assists
Paige Bueckers	31	6	5
Azzi Fudd	17	3	4
Jessica Shepard	17	10	7
Phoenix Mercury
Player	Points	Rebounds	Assists
Alyssa Thomas	6	9	10
Lexi Held	17	4	1
Kahleah Copper	13	2	3

Alyssa Thomas challenged for a triple-double for Phoenix, but it wasn't enough to prevent the team from falling to 4-10 on the season with a second straight loss.

Many expected the Wings to improve this season with Bueckers playing with additional experience after her Rookie of the Year campaign and former college teammate Fudd joining the fold, but they appear to be ahead of schedule and are climbing the standings in the early going.

A matchup with a struggling Mercury side was an opportunity to stack another win, and Bueckers put on a show in the first half despite temporarily going to the locker room with an apparent ankle injury.

She returned from the scare and dominated while pouring in 24 points before intermission by hitting from the outside, beating defenders off the dribble, finishing in the lane and pulling up to show off her soft shooting touch.

Lexi Held provided a spark off the bench with her three-point shooting to keep the Mercury within striking distance, but Dallas was in full control from the early going.

The only real drama in the second half was how many points Bueckers would end up with, but Phoenix made a point of sending additional defenders at her and getting the ball out of her hands. That wasn't a problem for the Wings, though, as Shepard efficiently took advantage of some open looks.

Fudd did as well and drilled a three-pointer on an assist from Bueckers in the fourth quarter that fired up the Dallas crowd.

At this point, the arrow is only pointing up for the Wings. Bueckers is already one of the best players in the entire WNBA, and Fudd has shown notable improvement as she adjusts to the professional level.

Thursday's blowout win hinted at the team's overall potential, and Dallas will look to keep things rolling on the road Saturday when it faces the Portland Fire.