Replay review overturned an offensive-foul call against Golden State’s Gabby Williams with 4.1 seconds left in regulation. That denied Dallas’ Aziaha James a chance to put the Wings ahead at the free-throw line. Instead, the teams went to a jump ball. Dallas beat the Valkyries 108-100 in overtime Wednesday night in Arlington, Texas, forcing a deciding Game 3 in their first-round WNBA playoff series.
A Call, Then a Record
Arike Ogunbowale scored a WNBA playoff-record 45 points, including the 3-pointer that tied the game at 93 with 4.1 seconds remaining. Her off-balance shot came from the corner. After the call was overturned, players contested a jump ball at center court with 3.0 seconds left. A scramble followed, and Golden State’s desperation shot missed after the buzzer.
The review changed what Dallas could do in the final seconds. James didn’t get the chance to take free throws that might have put the Wings in front. Instead, the teams went to the jump ball, and regulation ended with the score tied. Those calls and procedures shaped the path to overtime; the scoreboard did the rest.
Ogunbowale opened overtime with a banked-in 3-pointer. She hit another to put Dallas ahead 103-100 for good with 1:46 remaining. She scored 22 points across the fourth quarter and overtime, with 11 in each period. Her 45 points topped her previous playoff high of 24, and the shot that put Dallas ahead also carried her past her overall high of 41.
Overtime Decided the Series’ Next Step
Williams scored a career-high 36 points across regular-season and playoff games, but missed all six of her shots in the final 1:31 of overtime. She finished 12 of 23 from the field. The Valkyries didn’t score again after Ogunbowale’s go-ahead 3-pointer. They shot 2 of 12 in overtime.
With the score tied at 98, Ogunbowale and Tiffany Hayes made contact and had to be separated. Both received flagrant fouls, and each made two free throws with 2:26 remaining. Dallas’ Alysha Clark tied her playoff career high with 21 points, while James added 13. For Golden State, Kaila Charles scored 14 and Kayla Thornton had 13. Cecilia Zandalasini, who led the Valkyries with 22 points in the series opener, took only three shots and scored five points.
One More Game
The deciding game is scheduled for Friday night in San Francisco. Golden State won the series opener by 24 points and is seeking to advance in the playoffs for the first time in the franchise’s second season. Dallas’ record-setting performance kept its postseason alive, and the series now comes down to one game.
Paige Bueckers, the 2025 No. 1 overall pick and Rookie of the Year, scored 10 points on 3-of-13 shooting in her postseason debut. The report describes no community organizing or mutual-aid response around the game; it follows the players, scoring, officiating decisions and playoff series. The immediate stakes were settled on the court, with a replay ruling shaping regulation’s final seconds and Ogunbowale’s scoring carrying Dallas through overtime.