Arike Ogunbowale played a pivotal role in ensuring the Dallas Wings stayed in the playoff race on Wednesday night. Dallas avoided elimination with a 108-100 overtime victory against the Golden State Valkyries. This win leveled the first-round series, largely due to Ogunbowale’s impressive display, setting a WNBA playoff record by scoring 45 points.
Ogunbowale successfully made 12 out of 23 field goal attempts, sank five 3-pointers, and converted 16 of 18 free-throw attempts. The four-time All-Star also contributed seven rebounds, four assists, and three steals, delivering a performance that has been etched in playoff history to bring about a decisive Game 3.
In the closing moments of the game, Ogunbowale’s contributions were vital. Trailing by three points with only a few seconds on the clock, she leveled the game by making a challenging corner three-pointer. Ogunbowale added another 11 points during overtime, including a crucial go-ahead three-pointer, breaking a 100-100 tie with under two minutes remaining. Her knack for delivering in clutch moments is reminiscent of her time at Notre Dame, where she led the team to a national championship with consecutive buzzer-beaters in the Final Four.
“I don’t know, I guess I like when the time is going down,”
Ogunbowale shared with ESPN in a post-game interview.
Paige Bueckers scored 10 points, marking her first career playoff win. The second-year guard was full of admiration for her experienced teammate following the victory.
“I can’t even put into words what she just did,”
Bueckers expressed to Scott Van Pelt on SportsCenter, describing how she was in awe watching Ogunbowale play. She remarked on the importance of getting Ogunbowale the ball, saying that she simply wanted to facilitate Ogunbowale’s performance on the court.
Bueckers described playing with Ogunbowale as an “honor,” calling her “one of one” and a player who is “definitely different.”
“She really carried us and did everything it took to win,”
she added. Bueckers showed immense pride in Ogunbowale’s leadership and ability to seize crucial moments, embodying what the team needed to secure the win.
The Dallas Wings and Golden State Valkyries will face off for a place in the semifinals during the series-deciding game on Friday at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2.