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Wings beat Valkyries in OT behind Ogunbowale’s stunning 45

Dustin Judge
Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale shoots over Minnesota Lynx defenders in 2019; the Wings beat Valkyries 108-100 behind her 45 points

Arike Ogunbowale scored 45 points as the Dallas Wings beat the Golden State Valkyries 108-100 in overtime on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. The Wings beat Valkyries to even the best-of-three first-round series at 1-1 and force a deciding Game 3.

Ogunbowale went 12-of-23 from the field, 5-of-8 from 3-point range and 16-of-18 at the free-throw line, according to ESPN. She hit a 23-foot 3-pointer off a Paige Bueckers pass with 4.1 seconds left in regulation to tie the game 93-93, then scored 11 of Dallas’ 15 points in overtime.

Gabby Williams had 36 points, seven assists and four steals for Golden State, but the Valkyries could not hold on in a game that featured 15 lead changes.

Key moments: How the Wings beat Valkyries in overtime

Golden State led 26-23 after one quarter behind Williams, but Dallas outscored the Valkyries 27-19 in the second quarter to take a 50-45 halftime lead. Golden State answered with a 29-22 third quarter to lead 74-72 entering the fourth.

Williams made four free throws in the final 62 seconds of regulation to give Golden State a 93-90 lead before Ogunbowale’s tying 3-pointer. In overtime, Williams hit a 26-foot 3-pointer to tie it at 98, and offsetting flagrant-foul free throws by Ogunbowale and Tiffany Hayes left it 100-100. Ogunbowale answered with a step-back 3 with 1:46 left, and Dallas made its free throws down the stretch to win the extra period 15-7.

Top performers

No one did more as the Wings beat Valkyries than Ogunbowale, who added seven rebounds, four assists and three steals in 42 minutes. Alysha Clark scored 21 points on 6-of-7 shooting, including 3-of-4 from deep, and Aziaha James added 13 points off the bench.

Jessica Shepard controlled the glass with eight rebounds and six assists despite scoring four points. Paige Bueckers struggled offensively, going 3-of-13 from the field for 10 points, but contributed four assists and four rebounds.

For Golden State, Kayla Thornton added 13 points, Kaila Charles had 14 off the bench, and Veronica Burton finished with 11 points and five assists. The Valkyries shot 44 percent from 3-point range but couldn’t match Dallas at the line, where the Wings went 32-of-37 (86 percent).

What it means

The win forces a winner-take-all Game 3. Golden State, which finished the regular season 32-12 and swept the three regular-season meetings, still holds home-court advantage. Dallas finished 27-17 as the No. 7 seed after winning seven of its last eight regular-season games.

The Wings beat Valkyries for the first time this season after Golden State won Game 1 104-80 at Chase Center on Sept. 27. In that game, the Valkyries built a 58-31 halftime lead and made 18 of 36 3-point attempts, while Cecilia Zandalasini scored 22 points, according to CBS Sports. Bueckers scored 21 points on 9-of-10 shooting in the loss.

Game 2 looked different from the start. Dallas shot 50 percent from the field and 52 percent from 3-point range, and James was a plus-19 in 18 minutes off the bench, per ESPN. Zandalasini was limited to five points. The game drew 6,251 fans.

What’s next

After the Wings beat Valkyries on Wednesday, the series shifts back to San Francisco. Game 3 is Friday, Oct. 2, at 9 p.m. ET at Chase Center on ESPN2. Golden State must slow a Dallas team that made 12 of 23 3-point attempts in Game 2.

Catch up on the series with our Valkyries vs. Wings Game 2 preview, the Game 2 outlook as Golden State chased a sweep and more WNBA coverage.

Dustin Judge is the Founder and CEO of Total Apex Media, bringing more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience to the company's growing network of digital publications. He specializes in sports, sports betting, fantasy sports, and digital publishing, with a focus on producing accurate, timely, and engaging content for readers. Dustin oversees editorial strategy, content development, and publishing operations across Total Apex Media while remaining actively involved in sports, betting, and fantasy sports coverage.