The Dallas Wings kept their WNBA playoff run alive in dramatic fashion, defeating the Golden State Valkyries 108-100 in overtime in Game 2 of their first-round series. The victory, highlighted by an extraordinary performance from Arike Ogunbowale, tied the series at 1-1 and set up a decisive Game 3 in San Francisco.
Ogunbowale delivered one of the biggest postseason performances in WNBA history, scoring a playoff-record 45 points. Her clutch shooting helped Dallas recover after the Wings dropped Game 1 by 24 points.
Arike Ogunbowale Delivers Record-Setting Performance
Arike Ogunbowale was the centerpiece of the Dallas Wings’ comeback. She finished with 45 points on 12-of-23 shooting from the field and connected on five three-pointers.
Her biggest moment came late in regulation. With Dallas trailing, Ogunbowale knocked down a contested, off-balance three-pointer with just 4.1 seconds remaining to tie the game at 93-93 and send the matchup into overtime.
The shot came after Paige Bueckers found Ogunbowale in the corner.
Ogunbowale continued her outstanding performance in overtime, opening the extra period with another three-pointer before adding another long-range basket that gave Dallas a 103-100 advantage with 1:46 remaining.
Asked about her ability to make clutch shots late in games, Ogunbowale offered a simple explanation: she likes having the clock run down.
Her 45-point total easily surpassed her previous WNBA playoff career high of 24 points.
Gabby Williams Adds 36 Points
While Ogunbowale received the headlines, Gabby Williams also produced a career-best postseason performance for Dallas.
Williams scored 36 points, providing the Wings with another major offensive option throughout the game. Her scoring was particularly important as Dallas tried to overcome Golden State’s strong start and force the series back to San Francisco.
The combined production from Ogunbowale and Williams gave the Wings the offensive firepower they needed to survive a high-scoring overtime battle.
Alysha Clark Makes an Impact
Alysha Clark also played a major role in the Dallas victory. She scored 21 points, matching her playoff career high.
With Ogunbowale and Williams carrying much of the scoring load, Clark’s contribution gave Dallas another reliable offensive outlet and helped the Wings maintain their advantage during the decisive stages of the game.
The three Dallas veterans combined for 102 points, accounting for the overwhelming majority of the team’s scoring output.
Paige Bueckers Has a Tough Postseason Debut
The victory came despite a difficult shooting night for Paige Bueckers in her postseason debut.
Bueckers finished with 10 points while shooting 3-of-13 from the field. However, she still made an important contribution by finding Ogunbowale for the game-tying three-pointer late in regulation.
Her ability to create opportunities for teammates remains an important part of Dallas’ offense heading into the deciding matchup.
According to the Game 3 preview, Bueckers has averaged 2.4 made three-pointers over her last 10 games.
Dallas Wings vs. Golden State Valkyries Game 3
The series now moves back to San Francisco for a winner-take-all Game 3 on Friday night.
The Dallas Wings enter the deciding matchup at 27-17 overall and 13-10 against Western Conference opponents. The Golden State Valkyries are 32-12 and 15-8 in conference play.
Both teams have also been playing well recently. Each has gone 8-2 over its last 10 games.
Dallas has averaged 93.7 points during that stretch while shooting 49.2% from the field. Golden State has averaged 84.8 points and shot 44.0%.
The winner of Game 3 will advance to face either the Las Vegas Aces or Indiana Fever in the next round.
What to Watch in Game 3
The biggest question heading into Game 3 is whether Dallas can maintain the offensive momentum generated by Ogunbowale’s historic performance.
Golden State will also look to respond after allowing 108 points in Game 2. The Valkyries have been one of the league’s productive three-point shooting teams, averaging 10.4 made threes per game.
For Dallas, the combination of Ogunbowale, Williams, Clark and Bueckers will be central to the team’s offensive approach.
After surviving a dramatic Game 2, the Wings now have one game separating them from either a second-round playoff appearance or the end of their season.
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