For 11 years, Arike Ogunbowale’s name and Geno Auriemma’s shadow existed like two magnets flipped the wrong way—forever close, never touching. But on a humid Tuesday night in Dallas, after a win the Wings desperately needed, the tension finally gave way. No podium. No postgame fireworks. Just a subtle dap between two people who once shared headlines for all the wrong reasons—and just like that, the beef was done.

Ogunbowale confirmed it herself, posting on X: “Dapped up Geno after the game. The beef is officially over 😭😂” The moment capped off a rare Dallas win and an even rarer reconciliation. Ogunbowale dropped 19 points, six assists, and three steals to help the Wings snap a seven-game losing streak, beating the Golden State Valkyries 80–71 for their first home win of the season. It was a gritty, full-team effort—Paige Bueckers added 20, Kaila Charles chipped in 10, and the defense held Golden State to just 16 first-quarter points, their lowest opening total all year. Arike iced the game with a long three-pointer and a breakaway layup in the final seconds, closing it out like only she can.

But for longtime followers of women’s hoops, the handshake between Ogunbowale and Auriemma meant more than a box score.

Back in 2014, high schooler Arike listed her top five college choices—Louisville, Notre Dame, Ohio State, UCLA, and Wisconsin. UConn wasn’t on it. Just 14 minutes later, Geno fired back on X with a thinly veiled jab: “Stay tuned for my list of the 5 players I saw the past 7 days that I have zero interest in recruiting…. #whatajoke” That post didn’t just sting, it stuck. Geno deleted his X account. Arike moved on. But when she drained a cold-blooded buzzer-beater against UConn in the 2018 Final Four, eliminating Geno’s squad en route to Notre Dame’s national title, it felt personal. She followed it up with another game-winner in the championship game, etching her name in March Madness history forever.

The shot. The moment. The memory. All of it became part of a larger narrative: Arike versus Geno. The unchosen versus the kingmaker. She was the player he passed on, the one who became a legend without him.

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So when Arike wrote “beef is officially over” after Tuesday’s win, it didn’t just signify maturity; it marked a chapter’s end. And it happened with Geno in the building, watching his former recruit Bueckers shine alongside the very player who once iced his tournament dreams.

There’s poetry in that. The kind you only get in basketball, where grudges stretch across timelines and redemption comes through box scores. Ogunbowale never needed Geno’s validation, but on a night where she won the game and buried the hatchet, she got something better: closure.

Arike and Wings win with Geno in the building

Funny how things work. Geno Auriemma showing up in the building for the first time in years just might’ve broken Dallas’s curse. The Wings entered Tuesday night dead last in the WNBA standings at 1–11. But with Geno courtside and the Valkyries missing a few key pieces like Janelle Salaün due to EuroBasket duties, Dallas finally pulled out its second win of the season—and against a winning team, no less.

For a squad that has been clawing for any kind of momentum, this 80–71 win was more than just another game—it was a breath of survival. Even with Arike doing Arike things, it’s been a rough ride. And yet, somehow, the vibes are still immaculate.

Appearing recently on Bird’s Eye View, Sue Bird’s podcast, Ogunbowale opened up about the Wings’ mindset during this brutal start:
“The best thing is that we actually like each other because, you know, you’ve been in these situations where it’s like, basketball is going sucky and I also can’t stand the person next to me… I love that we all get along and it’s like, all right, we’re in this together.”

That locker room chemistry is rare, especially when the losses pile up as fast as they have for Dallas. The Wings started the season looking like dark-horse contenders, especially with Paige Bueckers acclimating fast. But the wheels fell off. And yet, no one’s jumping ship—not yet.

The team’s foundation is still solid. Bueckers, Luisa Geiselsöder, Aziaha James, JJ Quinerly, Maddy Siegrist, and NaLyssa Smith are all 25 or younger. Add Arike, DiJonai Carrington, Ty Harris, and Teaira McCowan—all 28 or younger—and it’s clear: this is a young squad with potential that hasn’t fully clicked yet.

Sure, the new CBA will push some of these players into free agency next season, but the Wings’ front office is betting on the same chemistry Arike talked about to keep the core intact. Because if they can survive this storm together, they might just be able to build something sustainable.

At 2–11, another top draft pick is almost inevitable. But in the WNBA, that’s sometimes how dynasties begin. Bueckers has already shown she belongs. And with the 2026 draft loaded with high-end talent, Dallas could land a game-changer who accelerates their return to relevance.

For now, a win is a win. And for once, the building didn’t just have history watching—it had a little bit of healing, too.