Ogunbowale scores playoff-record 45 points as Wings beat Valkyries to force Game 3

The Dallas Wings star Arike Ogunbowale became the headliner on Wednesday night to lead the Wings to a 108-100 overtime win over the Golden State Valkyries.

The Wings survive the night credit to guard Ogunbowale, who scores 45 points in Game 2 of their opening-round playoff showdown.

She registered a WNBA postseason record with 45 points in the win for Dallas and hit a clutch off-balance 3-pointer in the final moments of regulation to help send the game to overtime play.

The big win made up for a crushing defeat in Game 1 of the series and forced a deciding Game 3 on Friday night in San Francisco.

Ogunbowale's 45 points set a new WNBA postseason single-game scoring record, breaking a three-way tie.

Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart, and Angel McCoughtry had previously each finished with 42 points in a playoff game.

Ogunbowale shot 12 of 23 points from the field and had five 3-pointers in the victory for the Wings.

Speaking in a postgame on-court interview, Ogunbowale said, “The first game I wasn’t aggressive, I really wanna to come out as aggressive. I guess I like when the time is going down.”

Buckers was restricted to 10 points and shot just 3 of 13 from the field and was the only other Dallas starter to reach double figures.

While Williams led the Valkyries with 36 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds. Charles had 14 points off the bench, and Kayla Thornton added 13 points.

The winner of the first-round WNBA playoff will move to either clash with the Las Vegas Aces or Indiana Fever.

Those franchises are set for a must-win or go-home Game 3 on Thursday, October 1.