Valkyries Blow Out Wings 104-80 in Game 1
Golden State wins 104-80 after a 37-11 second quarter in its first playoff game at Chase Center.
Golden State made 18 threes and beat Dallas 104-80 in its first playoff game at Chase Center. Cecilia Zandalasini scored 22 points, Tiffany Hayes added 21 off the bench and Gabby Williams had 20 as the Valkyries took a 1-0 series lead.
According to the AP, it was the most points the second-year Valkyries have ever scored in a game. It was also their first playoff game at Chase Center after last year's home playoff game had to be played in San Jose.
Golden State wins the second quarter 37-11
The first quarter was close. Golden State led just 21-20 after one. Then the Valkyries caught fire. Kayla Thornton's three with 7:23 left in the second quarter made it 32-24 and forced a Dallas timeout, and it only got worse for the Wings from there.
Golden State won the second quarter 37-11. The Valkyries made 10 of 20 threes in the first half and went into the locker room up 58-31. The lead reached 36 in the second half. For the game, Golden State hit 18 of 36 from three and turned it over just five times.
Top performers
- Cecilia Zandalasini, Valkyries: 22 points in 16 minutes, 7-11 FG, 4-5 from three.
- Tiffany Hayes, Valkyries: 21 points off the bench, 7-10 FG, 3-5 from three, 4 assists.
- Gabby Williams, Valkyries: 20 points, 4 assists.
- Veronica Burton, Valkyries: 10 points, 5 assists.
- Kayla Thornton, Valkyries: 10 points, 5 rebounds.
- Paige Bueckers, Wings: 21 points on 9-10 shooting, 6 rebounds.
- Kitija Laksa, Wings: 11 points, 3-4 from three.
- Maddy Siegrist, Wings: 11 points.
- Arike Ogunbowale, Wings: 10 points on 2-7 shooting.
Bueckers needed help
Paige Bueckers scored 21 points on 9-of-10 shooting, including 17 before halftime. Dallas did not get enough around her: the Wings made six of 20 threes, and Jessica Shepard went 0-of-7 from the field. Golden State had won all four meetings between the teams to that point, per the AP.
"When we're awake we're ferocious on defense," Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said.
What's next
Golden State leads the series 1-0. Game 2 is Wednesday, September 30 at 9 p.m. ET at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, on ESPN. A Valkyries win ends it. A Wings win sends the series back to Chase Center for Game 3 on Friday.
Dallas needs both more scoring support and a better answer for Golden State's perimeter offense in Game 2. Bueckers missed only one shot, and the Wings still lost by 24.
Box score: ESPN.
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