Minneapolis, MN

Lynx fend off Paige Bueckers' homecoming in Minneapolis to top Wings, remain undefeated

Published

10 months ago

May 22, 2025

Lynx fend off Paige Bueckers' homecoming in Minneapolis to top Wings, remain undefeated

Paige Bueckers’ homecoming in Minneapolis didn’t quite go as she might have hoped.

Bueckers and the Dallas Wings dropped their third straight game to open the WNBA season on Wednesday night. While they mounted a bit of a comeback late, and Bueckers made a bit of league history in the process, the Minnesota Lynx held on to grab the 85-81 win at the Target Center. That spoiled Bueckers’ first professional game back in her hometown after she was taken No. 1 overall in last month’s WNBA Draft.

The Wings came out hot on a 15-5 run, though that almost immediately fell apart. The Lynx responded with a 16-3 run to take control by the end of the first quarter.

The Lynx then pushed their lead to double digits late in the second quarter and nearly entered the locker room with a 10-point advantage after Natisha Hiedeman’s wild half-court shot at the buzzer went in. Her shot was deemed just barely too late, however, and the Lynx’s lead remained seven.

Bueckers struggled in the first half, too. She went just 1 of 6 from the field and didn’t score until late in the second quarter when she finally hit a 3-pointer.

Napheesa Collier dropped 12 points in the third quarter, including a 15-footer right before the buzzer to keep the Wings at bay over the next 10 minutes. Bueckers drilled her second 3-pointer just a few minutes into the fourth quarter, and then DiJonai Carrington drilled one of her own a few minutes later to make it a one-possession game. Then, after a bit of a fight down the stretch, Arike Ogunbowale drilled a 3-pointer from the wing with just 39 seconds on the clock to keep the Wings in it.

But Collier hit a pair of free throws after that, and Bueckers missed a last-ditch 3-pointer, which gave the Lynx the four-point win. That pushed them to 3-0 on the season and dropped the Wings to 0-3.

Collier led the way for the Lynx with 28 points and eight rebounds while shooting 8 of 13 from the field. Alanna Smith and Courtney Williams added 13 points a piece, too. The Lynx had 27 assists on 28 made field goals and outrebounded the Wings by 16.

Ogunbowale led the Wings with 21 points and five assists, and Myisha Hines-Allen added 11 points. Bueckers dropped 12 points and 10 assists, shooting 3 of 11 from the field and 2 of 5 from behind the arc. Bueckers is now just the third player in WNBA history to record a points-assists double-double in the first three games of her career. She’s the first since Shoni Schimmel did it in 2014, according to ESPN’s Alexa Philippou.

Bueckers grew up in Hopkins, Minnesota, a suburb on the southwestern side of the Twin Cities. She led her high school to a state title in 2019 while being named the Gatorade National Player of the Year, which helped kickstart her remarkable run at UConn. So, earlier this month ahead of Bueckers’ first career WNBA game, Hopkins changed its name to honor her.

The town, for a single day, became “Paige Bueckers, Minnesota.” There were countless events throughout the town, including a watch party for the Wings’ season opener. That game coincidentally also was against the Lynx, just in Dallas.

While Wednesday’s game wasn’t great for Bueckers, she at least got to play it in a familiar place and cross off a major milestone. And, as she’s still just three games into her WNBA career, Bueckers should have plenty of chances to win at the Target Center — starting when the Wings travel back to Minneapolis on Sept. 1.

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Minneapolis, MN

North Loop restaurant sends urgent plea to customers to come back to downtown Minneapolis

Published

9 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

North Loop restaurant sends urgent plea to customers to come back to downtown Minneapolis

In a popular night spot like Minneapolis’ North Loop, it may come as a surprise to learn there are struggling restaurants there, but the owners of Dario said that is their new reality.

For two years, Dario has been serving up homemade pasta and cocktails.

“We’re not going to last much longer, nor are any of the other places you like to frequent, if we don’t get out here and try to experience these places,” said Stephen Rowe, Dario’s co-owner and beverage director.

Rowe and Executive Chef Joe Rolle recently sent a message to those on the restaurant’s e-mail list, writing that the recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge, combined with a challenging winter season, has caused a nosedive in reservations. They’re asking for customers to come back downtown.

“Like everybody else who owns a business around here and in the city, it’s just kind of like a gut punch,” said Rowe.

Customers, in particular from the suburbs, haven’t been coming in as much, Rolle said.

“They see a lot of things online, they see things on TV,” said Rowe.

“No one thought that North Loop was really affected, but we were,” said Mary Binkley, president of the North Loop Neighborhood Association.

Binkley said the past few months have been tough for North Loop restaurants.

“January and February were certainly heavy and that’s because people were spending their restaurant dollars elsewhere, in immigrant-owned restaurants, restaurants in neighborhoods where there was more ICE activity,” said Binkley.

Recently, foot traffic has been steadily improving in the neighborhood, Binkley said. With St. Patrick’s Day and Minnesota Twins games right around the corner, she said she is confident people will return.

“This is a place in a two-block radius where a lot of everyone’s favorite restaurants are,” said Binkley.

Dario’s owners said they have been forced to cut back on hours and shifts for employees. Meanwhile, they’ve launched lunch service on Thursdays and catering with the hopes of boosting business and saving the jobs of their 80 employees.

“A restaurant can take, you know, one or two bad weeks, but we’ve all had eight bad weeks in a row, so we’ve got a lot of digging out to do,” said Rolle.

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Minneapolis, MN

Remembering Joshua Denstedt: A Life Full Of Grilling And Outdoor Adventures

Published

21 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Remembering Joshua Denstedt: A Life Full Of Grilling And Outdoor Adventures

April 21, 1993 – February 27, 2026

Via Miller-Carlin Funeral Home

Joshua James Denstedt, age 32, unexpectedly passed away on February 27, 2026.

Joshua was born on April 21, 1993, in, Fridley, Minnesota. He later made his home in Minneapolis, where he spent much of his life.

Joshua will be remembered by those who knew him for his presence, his experiences in life, and the memories shared with family and friends. Joshua loved grilling,cooking, spending time out side working on cars . He loved his cat katie.

He is survived by his father, Sam Denstedt and his sister Samantha Denstedt and his niece sara Barrows.

Joshua was preceded in death by his mother, Cheryl Thoreson.

Family and friends who knew Joshua are encouraged to remember him in their own way and keep his memory close in their hearts.

Details regarding services or memorial gatherings may be announced by the family at a later time.

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Minneapolis, MN

MN weather: Bright with highs in the 50s Monday

Published

1 day ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

MN weather: Bright with highs in the 50s Monday

Expect a pleasant Monday with light breezes, filtered sunshine, and highs in the 50s. Temperatures cool into the 40s this week with chances for rain and snow. FOX 9 meteorologist Cody Matz has the full forecast.

Posted March 9, 2026 6:33am CDT