Golden State Valkyries beat Dallas Wings Women 77:73 in the WNBA on Saturday evening. The hosts recovered from a double-digit deficit to secure two points in the standings, moving to within seven of the league leaders.
The visitors controlled the early phase, building a 16-point advantage before the Valkyries turned the momentum. By then the game had shifted on its axis, with Golden State gradually closing the gap through sustained pressure on the defensive end.
Three-point shooting proved decisive. Valkyries hit nine of 29 attempts from distance, while Dallas made five from 16. And here's the thing about these matchups — the volume from beyond the arc often determines who finishes on top when field goal percentages sit close together.
Golden State dominated the offensive glass, pulling down 14 rebounds on their own shots compared to six for the visitors. That translated into 20 second-chance points against Dallas's 10, a margin that mattered when the score tightened in the final quarter.
Discipline proved costly for the away side. Dallas committed 23 personal fouls to Golden State's 18, and the extra trips to the line — 19 free throws attempted — could not overcome the rebounding deficit. The Valkyries shot 14 from 18 at the stripe.
We had called this one beforehand, giving the hosts a 56 per cent chance of victory. The prediction held up, though not without Dallas taking a commanding lead at one stage. The result keeps Golden State in second place with 32 wins from 44 games.
Dallas remain fourth on 27 victories, but the gap to the top four narrows with each round. These two sides have now met three times this month, and the pattern suggests closer finishes ahead as the standings tighten.
