Azzi Fudd started for the Dallas Wings in the team's Thursday night game against the Las Vegas Aces. This marked the first time Fudd started for the team since she was drafted as the No. 1 overall pick at this year's WNBA Draft.
While speaking to reporters ahead of the game, the team's head coach Jose Fernandez made a point to note that the Wings' mounting list of injured players did not influence the decision to start Fudd — Thursday night was always going to be the night. Fernandez noted that if the team were fully healthy, the lineup was going to also include Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale, Alanna Smith, and Jessica Shepard. Maddy Siegrist is starting instead of Smith, who is sick.
The game was the first for Fudd since she racked up a career-high 24 points to help the Wings coast to a 91-76 win over the New York Liberty at the Barclays Center. Five of her six three-pointers were hit during the third quarter, which broke the record for the most in a single quarter.
Fudd credited her team and coaches with helping her feel confident to take those shots, especially because she'd previously struggled earlier in the season. While speaking to reporters after the game, Fudd said, "They've been instilling confidence in me even when I've been missing all my 3s. So to have them believe in me when I was missing and then to finally make some tonight felt really good."
Azzi Fudd had a spectacular night
The Dallas Wings managed to best the Las Vegas Aces 95-87, and Fudd had an especially explosive ball game to boot. She ended the night with 22 points and helped the Wings overcome a 53-45 deficit at halftime.
Shepard also had a tremendous night and even created a new WNBA record when she hit 22 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists. With those stats, Shepard became the first player to record a triple-double with over 20 points and 20 rebounds. This is Shepard's sixth in the WNBA, and she's so far scored at least 10 points in at least four games for the Wings.
In addition to Fudd and Shepard, Bueckers also ended the night with 20 points.
To say the win was a big one for the Wings is an understatement. The defending champions appeared on track to win it all until Dallas launched a ferocious comeback in the third and fourth quarters and outscored the Aces 50-34.
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