WNBA playoffs: How Ogunbowale's historic 45 points saved the Wings' season

Dallas guard Arike Ogunbowale delivered a historic performance in Game 2 of the first‑round WNBA playoffs, scoring a record‑breaking 45 points as the No. 7 seed Wings erased a 24‑point deficit to beat the No. 2 Golden State Valkyries 108‑100 in overtime. Her scoring outburst, the most ever in a WNBA postseason contest, included clutch shots that tied the game with four seconds left in regulation and a decisive three‑pointer with 1:40 remaining in overtime, accounting for 13 of Dallas’s 21 overtime points. The win forced a winner‑take‑all Game 3 back in the Bay Area on Friday, keeping Dallas’s season alive and setting up a potential semifinal matchup against the No. 8 New York Liberty, who had just upset top‑seed Minnesota.

The game’s turning point came after Dallas adjusted its strategy, abandoning a passive defensive approach that had allowed Paige Bueckers to dominate in Game 1. The Wings applied a full‑court press, accelerated transition play, and cut aggressively to the rim, which disrupted Golden State’s rhythm and limited Bueckers to just 10 points on 3‑of‑13 shooting. Meanwhile, Golden State’s Gabby Williams responded with a career‑high 36 points, becoming the first opponent to pair with a rival for 35‑plus points in the same postseason game. A controversial late‑game foul call on Aziaha James was overturned after a coach’s challenge, sending the contest to overtime where Ogunbowale’s banked three‑pointer opened the extra period.

Ogunbowale’s 45‑point effort not only saved Dallas from elimination but also cemented her place in league history as the oldest player—29 years, 212 days—to record a 40‑point playoff game, a feat achieved only seven times before. The victory demonstrates that the Wings possess depth beyond their star guard, highlighted by bench scorer Alysha Clark’s 21 points on 6‑of‑7 shooting. For Golden State, the loss underscores the need to protect home court in Game 3, a venue where they have remained unbeaten all season, and to rely on Williams to lead the offense after her standout performance. The outcome sets the stage for a high‑stakes third game that will determine which team advances to the semifinals, where Atlanta, making its first semifinal appearance since 2018, will await the victor against New York.

⚡ Effects Interpreter