Arike Ogunbowale Makes WNBA Playoff History as Wings Force Game 3 Against Valkyries

Arike Ogunbowale delivered one of the greatest scoring performances in WNBA playoff history Wednesday night, pouring in a playoff-record 45 points to lead the Dallas Wings to a 108-100 overtime victory over the Golden State Valkyries. Facing elimination after Golden State's 104-80 Game 1 win, Dallas erased a late deficit when Ogunbowale knocked down an off-balance 3-pointer with 4.1 seconds remaining to tie the game at 93-93 and force overtime. The performance gave Ogunbowale the highest-scoring game in WNBA playoff history, surpassing the previous record by three points, and pushed the best-of-three series to a decisive Game 3 in San Francisco.

Ogunbowale finished 12-of-23 from the field, 5-of-8 from 3-point range and 16-of-18 at the free-throw line. She scored 22 points in the fourth quarter and overtime combined, including 11 in each period, and opened overtime with a banked-in 3 before hitting another 3 that put Dallas ahead 103-100 with 1:46 remaining. She entered the night with a playoff career high of 24 points and an overall career high of 41, making Wednesday's explosion a dramatic jump from both marks. Alysha Clark added 21 points, while Aziaha James scored 13 for Dallas.

The Wings needed the historic performance because Golden State's Gabby Williams was matching them with a career-best 36 points, the most she has scored in either the regular season or playoffs. But the Valkyries' defense, which had overwhelmed Dallas in Game 1, surrendered a franchise-record 108 points and committed 28 fouls. Golden State also shot just 2-of-12 in overtime. Head coach Natalie Nakase called Ogunbowale's performance “brilliant,” but also pointed to the defensive execution that allowed Dallas' star guard to repeatedly get to her preferred step-back left. “We don't give up 108 points,” Nakase said. “That's just completely uncalled for.”

The comeback also came on a night when Paige Bueckers, playing in her first WNBA postseason, struggled offensively and finished with 10 points on 3-of-13 shooting. That made Dallas' supporting production even more important as the Wings overcame a Valkyries team that had entered the playoffs with a 32-12 record and had already taken control of the series on its home floor. Golden State's Game 1 victory had put Dallas on the brink, but Ogunbowale's record-setting response ensured the Wings would get one more game. The deciding Game 3 will be played Friday night at Chase Center, where the Valkyries won the opener by 24 points.