Updated October 1, 2026, 9:13 a.m. ET
The No. 7 seed Dallas Wings entered Game 2 of their WNBA first-round playoff series against the No. 2 seed Golden State Valkyries on the brink of elimination. And with their season on the line, Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale delivered the best game of her WNBA career.
Ogunbowale led the Wings to a 108-100 overtime victory over the Valkyries on Wednesday, September 30, recording a career-high 45 points in 42 minutes, which set a WNBA record for most points scored in a playoff game. The Wings needed every point to force a win-win third game against the Valkyries on Friday.
The Wings trailed the Valkyries 93-90 with 14.6 seconds left. That’s when Ogunbowale stepped up and made a game-tying 3-pointer to force overtime. You’ve probably heard this before.
“I guess I like it when time passes,” Ogunbowale said with a laugh.
Wings teammate Paige Bueckers said Ogunbowale’s game-tying 3-pointer was reminiscent of her back-to-back Final Four beaters at Notre Dame in 2018. Or Ogunbowale’s game-winning 3-pointer to lift Mist BC over Breeze BC (for which Bueckers plays) in the unmatched semifinals earlier this year.
“Man, I can’t even express what she just did. I’m standing on the court in awe,” said Bueckers, who finished with 10 points and four rebounds on a tough shooting night. “I’m just like, ‘Let me give her the ball and walk away.’ I had flashbacks to the Final Four when I was in high school when she scored two game-winners at Notre Dame. I had a terrible flashback to Unrivaled when she hit the game-winner in the same spot, in the same corner, to beat our team, the Breeze. So it’s an honor to be with her tonight. She really carried us.”
After being held to 10 points in the Wings’ Game 1 loss, Ogunbowale came out looking for her shot Wednesday and put her foot on the gas in the second half as the Wings fought to keep their season alive. Ogunbowale scored 22 of his 45 points in the fourth quarter and overtime.
“I felt like in the first game I wasn’t aggressive enough,” Ogunbowale said. “I was really passive and I wanted to be aggressive, find my teammates and root to score. And that’s what I did.”
The 5-foot-8 guard finished the game shooting 12 of 23 from the field, 5 of 8 from the 3-point line and 16 of 18 from the free throw line. She also added seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Ogunbowale’s record-breaking night was not without its flaws.
With 2:26 left in overtime, the Valkyries’ Tiffany Hayes knocked Ogunbowale to the ground, then Ogunbowale got up and pushed Hayes in the neck. After review, the referees gave both players 1 flagrant foul.
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