Dallas Wings force decisive Game 3 vs Golden State Valkyries

sportsOct 2, 202636697

The Dallas Wings outlasted the Golden State Valkyries 108-100 in overtime on October 2, 2026 to force a winner-take-all Game 3. Arike Ogunbowale scored a WNBA playoff-record 45 points, including the game-tying three with 4.1 seconds remaining in regulation that sent the game to overtime. The victory evened the first-round series and shifts the decider to the Chase Center. Jessica Shepard, fresh off winning the 2026 Kia WNBA Most Improved Player Award, provided a physical presence in the paint while rookie Paige Bueckers delivered another standout performance for Dallas. With the series tied, both teams now prepare for a single elimination Game 3 to decide who advances.

WNBA

@wnba.com

45 PIECE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS 🔥 Arike Ogunbowale scored a WNBA Playoff-record 45 points, including the game-tying three with 4.1 seconds left, to lead the Dallas Wings to an OT dub and send this series to a win-or-go-home Game 3. 2026 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel

416Yesterday

Serpent Charmer7

Her shot to tie the game & send it to OT was incredible! She would not be denied. She had a best-ever playoff game against a historically great defensive squad. Great player, great game!

raptorskulls.bsky.social1

A) That’s awesome! B) I’m surprised Cynthia Cooper didn’t score that much at least once

TheEagles1

An amazing must win playoff game! Congrats to the Wings and Arike was awesome! She was the MVP of this game!🦅

Neil1

Her performance was incredible! So fun to watch.

Walguy the Robin1

This was huge, because the Wings were 0-4 against GSV this year, including getting thumped in game 1. Now they not only know they CAN beat this team, they did it in a game where their star had an off night. Hopefully a great game 3 awaits! Thanks Arike!

Quoting this

Still A CT Sun Fan 😭3

Arike 2 Gabby 0 #WNBA

drrtyd.bsky.social2

This is insane! Especially against a well coached, good defensive team like the Valkyries

Danielle H

@danielleceltics.bsky.social

Arike Ogunbowale off balance shot, Dallas Wings went on an 11-0 run to end the first half #WNBA

264h ago

Jazz🤍

@blerdgirljazz.bsky.social

Dawg what kinda behavior is this? Cause I really like CC’s game but this is what make me tired of her. 8 of those free throws happened when yall were intentionally trying to foul. But yall don’t mention that. This is why box score watchers be thinking they know shit. #WNBA #TheW #WBB #WNBAPlayoffs

2717h ago

WacoTaco5

USA coaches during this year’s run to the FIBA gold showed how you handle CC. They utilized her as her skills actually dictate AND made sure she was benched when she started her ridiculous shit (flops, dirty defense, in ref’s faces, etc). White refuses to do this and of course Fever loses.

fred5oh.bsky.social1

And she gets a million technicals for yelling stupid shit. She needs to just shut up and play the game.

withmorewit.bsky.social1

She definitely needs to tone down the techs. But Aja got cut on the elbow and complained to refs earlier in game. CC got hit and had a bloody mouth and complained to the refs. She’s doing the same thing in the press conference other competitive ppl do when they think a foul call was missed.

becky hammon’s crucifix

@real-point-god.bsky.social

You shall know the truth. -Arike Truthers everywhere last night and also this morning (among various other times), quoted in John 8:23 #WNBA #TakeFlight

24Yesterday

Kai✨

@kaikuisine.bsky.social

fever is out of the playoffs. i’m gonna sleep like a baby! #wbb #wnba #wnbaplayoffs

16Yesterday

Jason Ounpraseuth

@jasonoun.bsky.social

Awak Kuier's wrist looks to be doing alright. #WNBA (Dallas Wings/X)

136h ago

The IX Sports

@theixsports.bsky.social

How Arike Ogunbowale's record-setting 45 points saved Dallas from elimination, from @drakekeeler.bsky.social: www.theixsports.com/features/ari...

10Yesterday

Nanjala

@nanjala.bsky.social

No one talks more shit about Arike Ogunbowale than people claiming to be Dallas Wings fans. Gonna be an interesting morning after on the digital #wnba streets.

13Yesterday

San Francisco Chronicle

@sfchronicle.com

Thrive City is bustling with fans ahead of the Golden State Valkyries’ deciding playoff game against the Dallas Wings on Friday. 📸: Joy Jihyun Jeong/S.F. Chronicle

125h ago

No Cap Space WBB

@nocapspacewbb.com

Last night, behind a HISTORIC scoring night from Arike Ogunbowale, the Dallas Wings kept their season alive and forced Game 3 @tylerdeluca.bsky.social was in the building and has his thoughts on what he saw during the game and heard postgame youtu.be/al8WI4s0eFY

8Yesterday

Storm Chasers

@wnbastormchasers.bsky.social

Golden State is in trouble. A 20-0 run by Dallas and the Wings lead by 16 in the 3rd quarter. #WNBA

53h ago

Take Flight

@takeflightwnba.bsky.social

The Dallas Wings are 1-0 since Li Yueru and Lightning became my phone background.

12Yesterday

Steve Jones

@stevejones20.bsky.social

Issue for the Wings: Valkyries don't stop playing their style of play. Wings switching and activity has been good on defense. GSV adjusting to keeping the ball moving *and* getting late drives. GSV still able to show help vs. Paige and bog Dallas down. This will be a battle.

94h ago

Miyahec91

@miyahec.bsky.social

Shoutout to all the Wings fans except the ones that have been calling for Arike to be traded all season!! #NeededHer www.espn.com/wnba/story/_...

7Yesterday

Andy Tulin (Subscribe to The Post Presence version)

@andytulin.net

The brief history of players scoring 40+ in the #WNBA playoffs says the Wings likely need someone other than Arike Ogunbowale to step up if they’re gonna stun the Valkyries tonight. Players coming off a 40-pt playoff game have averaged 22 ppg on 41.8% from the field and 2-10 from deep.

As impressive as Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale was during her WNBA playoff-record 45-point showing on Wednesday night, which included a
3-pointer with under 5 seconds to play in regulation to force overtime and 11 points in the extra session, Dallas probably shouldn't be counting on Ogunbowale doing anything of the sort again tonight.
That was the seventh time a player has had 40+ points in a playoff game, but three of the previous six times it happened, the player was on the wrong end of an elimination game (those players were Elena Delle Donne, Breanna Stewart and Tamika Whitmore), so they didn't get to follow it up. None of the three players who had another game in their playoff run after their 40-piece
- Napheesa Collier, Angel
McCoughtry and Maya Moore, all of whom scored 40+ in a win
— followed it up with more than 27 points, which was Moore's total.

810h ago

Quoting this

Andy Tulin (Subscribe to The Post Presence version)7

Arike Ogunbowale is the first player in WNBA postseason history to follow a 40-point game with a 30-point game

2 sources

espn.comWings vs. Valkyries (Oct 2, 2026) Box Score - ESPN eslammsd-gaming-news-pro.static.hf.spacedallas wings

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Dallas Wings force decisive Game 3 vs Golden State Valkyries

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