ARLINGTON, Texas — Arike Ogunbowale scored 45 points Wednesday night to set a WNBA playoff record. The Dallas Wings beat the Golden State Valkyries 108-100 in overtime at College Park Center to force a Game 3 in their first-round series. The previous record for points in a WNBA playoff game was 42. Dallas evened the best-of-three series at 1-1 in front of a sellout crowd of 6,251.
Ogunbowale shot 12-of-23 from the field, 5-of-8 from three, and 16-of-18 at the free-throw line, adding 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals in 42:02. Her previous career high was 41 points. Her previous playoff best was 24.
With Dallas trailing 93-90, Ogunbowale tied the game on a three-pointer from Paige Bueckers with 4.1 seconds left in regulation. She scored 11 points in the fourth quarter. In overtime, she scored 11 more to tie Lindsay Whalen for the most points in a postseason overtime period in WNBA history. Ogunbowale is the seventh player in WNBA postseason history to score 40 or more in a game.
Alysha Clark scored 21 points off the bench to tie her playoff career high, going 6-of-7 from the field, 3-of-4 from three, and 6-of-6 at the line. Aziaha James added a playoff career-high 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting, with 2 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block in 18:21. Dallas outscored Golden State by 19 points with James on the floor and by 15 with Clark.
Bueckers finished with 10 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals on 3-of-13 shooting in a team-high 43:21. Three days earlier, she scored 21 points on 9-of-10 shooting in the 104-80 loss in Game 1 at Chase Center. Jessica Shepard led the Wings with 8 rebounds and 6 assists.
Gabby Williams scored a career-high 36 points for Golden State, regular season or playoffs, on 12-of-23 shooting. She went 5-of-12 from three and 7-of-7 at the line and added 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 steals. Kaila Charles scored 14, Kayla Thornton had 13 points and 6 rebounds, and Janelle Salaün scored 11. Veronica Burton had 11 points and 5 assists before fouling out in overtime, as did Charles.
The 108 points, 12 three-pointers, and 32 made free throws all set Wings postseason records. It was Dallas’ first playoff win since Sept. 19, 2023. The Wings had lost seven straight to Golden State, including all three regular-season meetings this year, and had not beaten the Valkyries since the teams’ first-ever meeting on June 17, 2025. Dallas joined the Las Vegas Aces and Minnesota Lynx as the only teams to score 100 points against Golden State.
Ogunbowale took 7 shots in Game 1 and scored 10 points, 6 of them at the free-throw line. Her plan for Wednesday was settled before tip-off, and it did not depend on whether the shots went in.
“We just wanted to come out with a different intensity. We felt like we got pushed around out there when we played in San Francisco, and especially me personally, I don’t feel like I was aggressive,” Ogunbowale said. “I don’t feel like I was trying to get to the hole. I was being really passive and wasn’t playing my game.”
“So I wanted to come out and be really, really aggressive. I didn’t know what I would score. I just knew I was going to shoot regardless, because seven shots isn’t enough to win in the playoffs,” Ogunbowale continued. “I have to be aggressive, whether it’s going in or not. We have rebounders. I just have to be aggressive, and that was my mindset for this game.”
Arike Ogunbowale Ties It With 4.1 Seconds Left, Then Scores 11 In Overtime
Wings coach José Fernández started Bueckers, Ogunbowale, Awak Kuier, Maddy Siegrist, and Shepard for the sixth straight game. Golden State scored the first 4 points and led 20-13 midway through the first quarter, with Williams scoring 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting in the period. An 8-0 Dallas run tied it at 21 with 1:27 left in the quarter, and the Valkyries led 26-23 after 10 minutes.
To open the second quarter, Golden State scored 4 straight points to go up 30-23 and force a Dallas timeout with 9:04 left in the half. James made 2 free throws for her first points, and Clark followed with a three-pointer. James hit two more threes during a 13-5 run that put the Wings ahead 43-41 on an Odyssey Sims jumper with 2:32 left in the half. Clark’s third three of the half, with 29 seconds left, made it 50-43, and Dallas led 50-45 at the break.
Dallas shot 16-of-28 in the first half. The 57.1% mark set a Wings postseason record for a half. The Wings went 5-of-5 from three in the second quarter alone, and Ogunbowale had 16 points and 3 steals at halftime, matching her postseason bests for a half in both.
Golden State opened the third quarter on a 5-0 run to tie it at 50. Ogunbowale answered with a three, and Kuier made a four-point play with 7:22 left in the quarter to put Dallas up 57-52. The Valkyries then went ahead 62-59 on a 10-2 run in which Williams scored 7 points. The lead changed hands seven times in the third quarter, and Charles scored on a driving layup with 0.9 seconds left to give Golden State a 74-72 lead going into the fourth. Five of the Valkyries’ 9 field goals in the quarter came from three.
Early in the fourth, Kaitlyn Chen scored on back-to-back drives to put Golden State up 78-73. Ogunbowale’s step-back three with 6:47 left gave Dallas an 80-79 lead, and her 2 free throws at 6:10 made it 82-81. Charles finished a fast-break layup with 3:32 left to put the Valkyries up 87-84.
Bueckers missed a 26-foot three with 1:39 left and Dallas down 87-86. Williams hit a pull-up jumper at 1:26 and 2 free throws at 1:02, and Golden State led 91-88. Ogunbowale scored on a driving layup with 22.5 seconds left. After Williams made 2 more free throws for a 93-90 lead with 14.6 seconds to go, Ogunbowale got the ball from Bueckers and tied it with 4.1 seconds left.
Ogunbowale had 34 points through regulation. The tying three came out of a sideline out-of-bounds play in front of the Dallas bench, where Fernández said she is comfortable getting into her step-back.
“I thought she got to the free-throw line. She got downhill and was very aggressive. At the end there, we were down three and got that on the sideline out of bounds, set a flare, and she caught it,” Fernández said. “She was comfortable on that side of the floor in front of our bench because she can get into her step-back. That was a big shot.”
“But there was a lot more. I thought AC and [Aziaha James] off the bench helped relieve some pressure, with different players running the ball up the floor,” Fernández added.
After a Golden State timeout, Williams was called for a foul on the ensuing inbound play. The Valkyries challenged, the call was overturned, and the officials set up a jump ball between Shepard and Williams with 3.0 seconds left. Neither team scored, and the game went to overtime tied at 93.
Golden State did not want to foul on Dallas’ last possession of regulation. Natalie Nakase saw hesitation from her players on it, and the Valkyries coach said she questioned whether her message in timeouts had been clear.
“I didn’t want to foul. We do a good job. I think making sure we’re contesting and then finishing with the rebound. Usually we’re solid, especially in regulation. But I saw a little bit of hesitation, and so that’s why I’m like, are we not clear with our delivery in the timeouts?” Nakase said. “If that’s the case, I don’t want any hesitation. I don’t want any hesitation. And to make sure, again, we contest. We just don’t want to give up three.”
“We gave up the three. But we also know that she lunges forward. So we just have to be careful,” Nakase continued. “So credit to Rike. She made a tough shot.”
Ogunbowale opened overtime by banking in a 28-foot three off another Bueckers assist for a 96-93 lead. James scored on a putback with 3:47 left to make it 98-95. Williams tied it at 98 with a 26-foot pull-up three at 2:26, and Ogunbowale and Tiffany Hayes were each assessed a Flagrant 1 foul at the same stoppage. Each made both free throws, and the game was tied at 100.
The flagrant was Ogunbowale’s fifth personal foul, leaving her one away from fouling out with 2:26 left in overtime. She did not want the moment to cost her the rest of the night.
“It’s playoff basketball. Emotions get high, you get physical. If something happens, you retaliate,” Ogunbowale explained. “Obviously, you want to stay on the court, so you don’t want to do anything too severe, but it’s playoff basketball, just being competitive.”
Golden State did not score again. Ogunbowale hit a 25-foot step-back three with 1:46 left to put Dallas ahead for good at 103-100, passing her previous career high of 41. Clark made 2 free throws at 1:28, and Ogunbowale’s free throw with 21.9 seconds left was her 43rd point, breaking the playoff record. She closed the scoring with 2 more free throws with 9.1 seconds left.
The Valkyries shot 2-of-12 in overtime. Williams missed her last five shots, and Dallas won the period 15-7.
Nakase put the late breakdowns on her own coaching. Ogunbowale’s step-back to her left is on Golden State’s scouting report, and the Valkyries did not force her right.
“We know she likes that step-back left. So that’s kind of what was really frustrating, is we knew she likes to step back left, and we didn’t get into it. We didn’t force her to her right. So that’s why I’m like, how are we unclear?” Nakase explained. “So, again, that comes down to me as a coach. I have to be very clear with what they like at the end. It’s on our scouting report. It’s on the KYP. So that’s on me.”
The Valkyries allowed a league-low 75.1 points per game during the regular season. Nakase did not recognize her team on Wednesday.
“We gave up 108. I don’t think we ever gave up 108. Didn’t recognize this, but more importantly, we just don’t give up 108 points. That’s just completely uncalled for,” Nakase said. “I have to do better. I got to get better in terms of getting on them quicker. So I think, yeah, I can communicate and demand more in timeouts quicker. I think I could do that.”
Dallas attempted 37 free throws and made 32, while Golden State went 20-of-23. Keeping the Wings off the line is part of what Nakase said the Valkyries have to fix.
“Our identity, it’s defense, and so giving up 108, that’s uncalled for. We’re averaging more around in the 70s. So our fight, again, we got to keep [them] off the free-throw line. They had 37 free throws. That might be a record for us,” Nakase said. “So we have to be smarter. We got to be there earlier. And we got to continue to fight together.”
Ogunbowale attempted 12 of her 18 free throws after halftime. Nakase gave her credit for the performance.
“Arike likes that left step-back. So, again, we just have to make sure we take that away. And then when she’s rolling, we have to respond. We have to maybe throw more bodies at her. But, no, she did a hell of a job in terms of performance,” Nakase said. “Obviously, she drew a ton of fouls. So we just have to be smart. We got to play smarter. Sometimes it’s not even just playing it, like, harder. We got to play smarter.”
Ogunbowale said the record does not mean much if Dallas goes out in the playoffs. She thanked God for it.
“Honestly, not much. Obviously, it’s special. There’s so many great players to come through. But we have to do something in the playoffs. I can have that and we get put out, and it really doesn’t mean anything,” Ogunbowale said. “It’s always a blessing, and obviously I thank God. Anytime you can reach a milestone or get some type of something, that’s great. But winning is more important.”
At Notre Dame, Ogunbowale hit the game-winning shots in both the 2018 national semifinal and the national championship game. Wednesday’s shot did not top those, and she said the stakes decide how a big shot feels.
“I would say the same. It depends on what the stakes are. I don’t know, probably nothing compared to a national championship. That’s just special, being a young kid and having that,” Ogunbowale said. “But, yeah, I don’t know. They’re all cool, I guess.”
Her teammates said something to her at the free-throw line as the points piled up. Ogunbowale knew roughly where she stood, but by the fourth quarter it was out the window.
“I think you kind of don’t think about it. Your teammates will say something on the free-throw line, but it’s not like, all right, I’m trying to get this, I’m trying to get that. We’re trying to win, and that’s all we were focused on, no matter what was going on,” Ogunbowale said. “We were trying to win. You kind of know what’s going on, but especially once it gets to the fourth or something, it’s all out the window.”
Alysha Clark, Aziaha James Give Dallas Wings 34 Points Off The Bench
During the regular season, Clark averaged 2.6 points in 11.4 minutes over 30 games. She scored 4 in Game 1. She played all five minutes of overtime Wednesday alongside James, while Kuier and Siegrist did not play in the extra period. Dallas’ bench outscored Golden State’s 39-35.
Clark said her season has been up and down. Her preparation has not changed with her minutes.
“I feel like what I’ve done the entirety of my career is just stay ready. I learned early on, when I was the last player on the bench, that when your opportunity comes, you have to be ready,” Clark said. “The way that I prepare and study doesn’t change, regardless of whether I’m playing no minutes or 30 minutes. I prepare the same way.”
“The season has been up and down, but I know what I’m capable of and the value that I bring. I knew at some point they were going to need that, our team was going to need that,” Clark continued. “So tonight I just did what I’ve always done and made sure I was ready for the moment, helping us wherever we needed. I’m really proud of that.”
Clark has won three WNBA championships, two with the Seattle Storm and one with Las Vegas in 2023. She has played win-or-go-home games when her team was up and when it was down.
“Experience is everything. I’ve had my fair share of being in win-or-go-home games on both sides of it, when we’re up and when we’re down. I know what’s at stake and I know what it takes. I’ve said this before, but you don’t win by accident,” Clark explained. “Having that experience really showed up tonight, and that’s something I’m extremely proud of.”
“When it comes to preparation and being in these types of moments, understanding how to have poise and be organized, those things don’t show up in a box score or to the naked eye,” Clark added. “But when you’re out there on the floor and have those moments, it shows up within a team dynamic. Having that experience was everything tonight.”
Clark spent much of the night matched up with Williams. Fernández singled out that assignment and the spark Clark and James gave the Wings at both ends.
“I thought we got in gaps more and blew up some of the DHOs and Zooms. Again, what AC did to challenge and guard Gabby. I mean, Gabby had a great game,” Fernández explained.
“I thought they gave us a great spark defensively and offensively, where we could play P and Rike off the ball. That’s a great win,” Fernández detailed. “But again, that’s what we talked about at halftime: don’t be satisfied with the last 20 minutes. Let’s close it out in the next 20, and we had to play an extra five. And they did.”
Williams scored 31 points in regulation and 5 in overtime. Clark saw some confusion on Dallas’ end that led to easy Golden State baskets.
“I’m always going to say there’s room for improvement, but at the end of the day, you’re never going to stop somebody. These players in this league are way too good, so your job as a defender is to make their looks tough. Gabby hit some tough shots tonight, but that’s who she is and who she’s grown to be in this league,” Clark said.
“Anytime you’re matching up with those types of players, you’ve got to make their looks tough. They’re going to hit some, and that’s what they’re supposed to do. But there was some confusion that led to easy baskets for them that I think we need to clean up and be a little sharper on,” Clark noted. “Going into their arena, their fans are loud, and we have to make sure we don’t have any slip-ups, because when we do, they capitalize. I think you saw that tonight.”
“I’m always going to find room for improvement, even in overtime, but the league is trending that way. You have a lot of high-scoring games and amazing scorers who can put up 45 on any given night. Gabby had 36 tonight,” Clark continued. “At the end of the day, as long as you make them work for their shots, that’s what it’s all about.”
James was playing in her first postseason series. Clark also pointed to Bueckers, who kept shooting through a 3-of-13 night.
“And [Aziaha James], for this to be her first playoff, she came and did exactly what she needed to and more. She was poised, aggressive, competitive, and didn’t back down from anything,” Clark said. “And then P didn’t have the best shooting night, but her presence on the floor and continuing to shoot, regardless of how they were throwing everything at her. They didn’t even want her to touch the ball, rightfully so, because she’s one of the best players in the league.”
“For her to stay aggressive regardless of whether it was going in, still doing everything for us regardless of the stats, those two definitely did their thing today,” Clark added.
James grabbed 2 rebounds, both in overtime, including the offensive board she put back for a 98-95 lead. Clark singled out her work on the glass.
“I’m so proud of [Aziaha James], just her growth this season, from the very first preseason game to where she’s at now. To be honest, locking in tonight was what impressed me the most. As a young player, you can be aloof and not really be locked in, but every time she touched the floor and was in the huddle, she was locked in,” Clark said.
“Her hustle plays on the defensive boards, crashing the offensive boards and getting stuff like that, that type of energy matters in these types of games. All those little things come down to diving on the floor,” Clark detailed. “For her to show up the way she did today, it was everything. We needed every little play that she made tonight. I’m so proud of her growth and the way she stepped up. I hope she continues to know how important she is to this team and to our success as we move forward.”
Bueckers made 2 field goals in the second half, a 15-foot jumper late in the third quarter and a 15-foot fadeaway early in the fourth. Fernández wants her taking ownership when a shot does not fall.
“That’s what Paige wants: to take those shots, and she got a great one, that little mid-range on the fake cut where they overplayed off the sideline out of bounds. Then she came off the stagger and got a really good look on that three, and it went in and out,” Fernández said. “You’ve got to be willing to take those shots, and she’s willing to take them, take the risk, and take ownership that the shot didn’t go in. Then she can play hard on the other end, which she did.”
Dallas’ reserves scored all 36 of their points after halftime in Game 1. On Wednesday, Clark and James had 17 of their 34 by the break.
“For us to do what we did today without Paige having the type of game she always has offensively for us, and to come out with a win, it’s huge. We had other people step up, and that’s what we needed in Game 1,” Fernández said. “There was growth from Game 1 to Game 2. Paige virtually carried us in Game 1. It was out of hand, and we rested people. Now we have a great opportunity to go back there and play for a berth as one of the final four teams.”
Dallas had two days between games after the loss at Chase Center. Fernández told the players how proud he was of the way they prepared at shootaround and in film.
“Well, it showed the type of players we have in this organization, right? Going on the road, not playing well, coming back, having a short turnaround, and seeing how they responded, how hard they competed and how hard they played,” Fernández said. “I told them how proud I am of them as their coach and how dialed in they were at shootaround and film. The communication, sense of urgency, and accountability they had for one another, that’s how we closed it out.”
The Wings went 10-34 in 2025 and 27-17 this season. Fernández said a lot of teams would have laid down after the Game 1 loss.
“They grew a lot tonight. I think they grew a lot after the loss at Golden State, too. A lot of different teams would have laid down, planned some vacations, and had some fly-outs in the next couple days. This team didn’t. It’s good to see,” Fernández said. “I don’t think this team and organization has gotten the credit it deserves for the turnaround we’ve had and continue to have.”
Dallas finished with 6 steals and 2 blocks. Fernández said the players would have to explain what changed for themselves.
“At one point or another, you’ve got to question. There has to be some kind of change. There has to be some kind of fight. They showed it today, that we have it in us, right? So, them, us, film, a variety of factors,” Fernández said. “I think you have to ask that question to them, but without a doubt, we had people making multiple efforts tonight, pressuring the basketball and blowing up stuff. It was a huge sense of urgency.”
Golden State beat Dallas in every regular-season meeting and again in Game 1. Clark called Game 2 a dogfight against a really tough team.
“It’s special. We’ve had such a fun season together. We truly, truly, truly enjoy being around each other, and we definitely didn’t want it to end today,” Clark said. “It was fun playing; we had a good time. It was a dogfight. They’re a really, really, really tough team to play, a really tough team.”
“They beat us every single time in the regular season and last game, so we knew we had to come out strong,” Clark continued. “But when we play intensely like that, it’s so fun playing with each other. We just have to go do it again Friday.”
For Ogunbowale, the win ranks near the top of her career because it was a do-or-die game. Dallas faces another one Friday.
“Probably number one because it meant something. It’s a do-or-die game, and we wanted to keep playing, whether it was trying to finish it in regulation or going into overtime. I would say that’s probably top, for sure,” Ogunbowale said.
Clark ranks it near the top of her own career, with three championships behind her. The series now goes back to San Francisco.
“I think it’s definitely in the top, especially this time of year. This is playoff time; this is where everything is intensified. For us to show up and fight the way we did today, I’m just really proud of this group,” Clark said. “I hope that we understand what we’re capable of. We did what we were supposed to do on our home court, and now it’s back to San Francisco to get ready for another dogfight. For us to show up in this moment the way that we did, it’s everything. I’m just so proud of this group.”
The Wings went 16-6 at College Park Center during the regular season, and Golden State went 17-5 at Chase Center. Fernández appreciated the turnout and said the crowd made it difficult for the Valkyries.
“It got loud. I was very appreciative of the turnout and how they got into the game, because it made it difficult. There’s a reason why this place has been so tough. Golden State and Dallas have had the two best home records in the league,” Fernández said. “It was an incredible environment, and hopefully we can do what we need to in San Francisco so we can have that environment again here.”
Golden State hosts Game 3 two days after Wednesday’s loss. Nakase said the first step was recovery.
“Go get some recovery. We got one at home, and we got to bring our best. That was not our best, and I think it’s just a lack of, I don’t know, but I say recover,” Nakase said. “We got to get on our flight right away, getting back home, and then just making sure we’re on the same page and we go look at film. Tomorrow’s got to be clear minds, clear focus, clear game plan, and then be ready to go for the game at home.”
Nine Valkyries played Wednesday, and five did not leave the bench. Nakase said the Valkyries stayed together on the bench through the loss.
“Everyone who was in, everyone who was behind, saying we got this. It was very supportive. But again, I think they need clear, clear, clear direction with whatever they’re not hearing coming out of the timeouts. That’s me,” Nakase said.
Golden State shot 46.6% from the field and 12-of-27 from three. Dallas threw blitzes at the Valkyries, and Nakase liked that her team maintained spacing against them.
“They threw up blitzes at us too. So I like the fact that we were able to maintain space and move it. But at the end of the day, I’m never going to be happy after a loss, especially when it doesn’t show through our identity, and our identity’s defense,” Nakase said. “So we’ve got to lock in. We have to be smarter. We have to be more connected. We’ve got to communicate at a higher volume, especially when they’re trying to break some of our defensive coverages. So that’s what we’ve got to make sure we look at on film, regroup, and be ready to go.”
The Wings again played without forward Alanna Smith, who was inactive with a lower leg injury. Guard Azzi Fudd has been out since the team announced on Aug. 19 that she would undergo season-ending surgery on her right knee.
Game 3 is Friday at Chase Center in San Francisco, with tip-off at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN2. The winner advances to the WNBA Semifinals to face the No. 3 Las Vegas Aces or the No. 6 Indiana Fever.
