After an emotional win over the Dallas Wings, the expansion Golden State Valkyries will continue their playoff push as they open a five-game road trip against the Connecticut Sun in Uncasville, Conn., on Sunday.
The Valkyries (11-12) took care of Dallas 86-76 Friday night, playing for the first time after announcing All-Star and leading scorer Kayla Thornton would miss the rest of the season with a knee injury suffered in practice.
Golden State brought in Iliana Rupert to pick up the slack. The 6-foot-4 center hasn’t played in the WNBA since 2023 with the Atlanta Dream. She had nine points and five rebounds over 15 minutes in her Valkyries debut on Friday.
“She played nice and composed and she just played the way she can play,” said Golden State coach Natalie Nakase after the game, adding the team dedicated the win to Thornton. “I liked everyone stepping up today.”
Golden State guard Tiffany Hayes becomes the Valkyries’ first option on offense now. She averages 13.1 points per game.
“Tiffany is a selfless veteran we can always lean on,” Nakase said. “She doesn’t talk a lot, but when she does, everyone listens.”
The Valkyries have been one of the best stories in the WNBA, looking to become the first expansion team to reach the playoffs. Only one expansion team has finished with a winning record, the Detroit Shock in 1998.
Golden State is tied with the Washington Mystics for the eighth, and final, playoff spot.
There are no such playoff hopes for the Sun (3-20), who have lost four games in a row in a season clouded by talk of relocation. Connecticut ranks last in the WNBA in defensive rating and last in offense, averaging 73.3 points per game.
Connecticut did get a bit of good news Thursday when star guard Marina Mabrey returned to the lineup after missing nine games with a knee injury. Mabrey had seven points on 2-of-12 shooting in a 101-86 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday.
Sun coach Rachid Meziane said Mabrey was on a minutes restriction and looked rusty.
“We created a lot of open shots for her and she missed, but I know Marina and she will make them next time,” Meziane said. “I think defensively she has to find the rhythm and I think she knows what to do and she will be more efficient next time.”
It was the fifth time this season Connecticut has allowed more than 100 points.
Veteran Tina Charles has been the biggest bright spot for the Sun. The 36-year-old leads Connecticut at 16.0 points a game and is now three assists shy of 1,000 in her WNBA career.
Golden State downed Connecticut 87-63 in their first meeting June 22.
–Field Level Media
