Lynx beat Wings 85-81 for 2nd time in 5 days, spoiling homecoming for Bueckers

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Napheesa Collier had 28 points and eight rebounds to lead the Minnesota Lynx to their second victory over the Dallas Wings in five days, an 85-81 decision that spoiled the homecoming for first overall draft pick Paige Bueckers on Wednesday night.

Alanna Smith and Courtney Williams each added 13 points for the Lynx (3-0), who have picked up where they left off last season in the WNBA Finals, where they lost to the New York Liberty in a tense series that went to overtime in the decisive Game 5.

Bueckers, who grew up cheering for the Lynx and won a state championship at Target Center with Hopkins High School before her standout college career at Connecticut, had 12 points, 10 assists and three steals. In her first three WNBA games, Bueckers is shooting 13 for 35 from the floor, including her debut at home on Friday against the Lynx.

Arike Ogunbowale led the Wings (0-3) with 21 points on 8-for-20 shooting. She went 5 for 13 from beyond the arc, tying Diana Taurasi as the fastest players in league history to 500 3-pointers in 198 career games.

The Lynx, who won at Dallas 99-84 and at Los Angeles 89-75 to open the season, had a tougher time in their home opener and fell behind 15-5 before snapping back with a 12-0 run. They controlled most of the game, until a late cold spell let the Wings back in it.

The Lynx went nearly four minutes without a basket, until Williams swished a baseline jumper with 2:47 remaining to push their lead back to 78-73.

Ogunbale's 3-pointer with 39 seconds left pulled the Wings within two, but Williams rebounded her own miss to keep the ensuing possession alive for Collier to get fouled and go to the line where she went 12 for 12.

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) shoots over Minnesota Lynx forward Bridget Carleton (6) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve talks with guard Natisha Hiedeman (2) during a timeout in the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Dallas Wings, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) dribbles down the court during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Minnesota Lynx, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5), back, passes around Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman (2) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24), left, high-fives teammates while introduced before a WNBA basketball game against the Dallas Wings, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is meeting with oil executives at the White House on Friday in hopes of securing $100 billion in investments to revive Venezuela’s ability to fully tap into its expansive reserves of petroleum — a plan that rides on their comfort in making commitments in a country plagued by instability, inflation and uncertainty.

Since the U.S. military raid to capture former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, Trump has quickly pivoted to portraying the move as a newfound economic opportunity for the U.S., seizing tankers carrying Venezuelan oil, saying the U.S. is taking over the sales of 30 million to 50 million barrels of previously sanctioned Venezuelan oil and will be controlling sales worldwide indefinitely.

On Friday, U.S. forces seized their fifth tanker over the past month that has been linked to Venezuelan oil. The action reflected the determination of the U.S. to fully control the exporting, refining and production of Venezuelan petroleum, a sign of the Trump administration's plans for ongoing involvement in the sector as it seeks commitments from private companies.

It's all part of a broader push by Trump to keep gasoline prices low. At a time when many Americans are concerned about affordability, the incursion in Venezuela melds Trump’s assertive use of presidential powers with an optical spectacle meant to convince Americans that he can bring down energy prices.

The meeting, set for 2:30 p.m. EST, will be open to the news media, according to an update to the president's daily schedule. “At least 100 Billion Dollars will be invested by BIG OIL, all of whom I will be meeting with today at The White House,” Trump said Friday in a pre-dawn social media post.

Trump is set to meet with executives from 17 oil companies, according to the White House. Among the companies attending are Chevron, which still operates in Venezuela, and ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips, which both had oil projects in the country that were lost as part of a 2007 nationalization of private businesses under Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chávez.

The president is meeting with a wide swath of domestic and international companies with interests ranging from construction to the commodity markets. Other companies slated to be at the meeting include Halliburton, Valero, Marathon, Shell, Singapore-based Trafigura, Italy-based Eni and Spain-based Repsol.

Large U.S. oil companies have so far largely refrained from affirming investments in Venezuela as contracts and guarantees need to be in place. Trump has suggested on social media that America would help to backstop any investments.

Venezuela’s oil production has slumped below one million barrels a day. Part of Trump's challenge to turn that around will be to convince oil companies that his administration has a stable relationship with Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez, as well as protections for companies entering the market.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum are slated to attend the oil executives meeting, according to the White House.

Meanwhile, the United States and Venezuelan governments said Friday they were exploring the possibility of r estoring diplomatic relations between the two countries, and that a delegation from the Trump administration arrived to the South American nation on Friday.

The small team of U.S. diplomats and diplomatic security officials traveled to Venezuela to make a preliminary assessment about the potential re-opening of the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, the State Department said in a statement.

Trump also announced on Friday he’d meet with President Gustavo Petro in early February, but called on the Colombian leader to make quick progress on stemming flow of cocaine into the U.S.

Trump, following the ouster of Maduro, had made vague threats to take similar action against Petro. Trump abruptly changed his tone Wednesday about his Colombian counterpart after a friendly phone call in which he invited Petro to visit the White House.

President Donald Trump waves as he walks off stage after speaking to House Republican lawmakers during their annual policy retreat, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)