Story perspectives

Arike Ogunbowale Scores 45 as Mavericks Beat Warriors in OT

By Drooid · Oct 1, 2026, 3:43 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Arike Ogunbowale scored a playoff-record 45 points as Dallas defeated Golden State 108-100 in overtime.
She hit a game-tying three with 4.1 seconds left, forcing overtime.
Ogunbowale became the first player to score 40+ points in a winning elimination game.
Alysha Clark contributed 21 bench points for Dallas.
Gabby Williams recorded a career-high 36 points for Golden State.

History

Historical Context

On June 21 1997 the WNBA launched with six teams and 58 players, and Cynthia Cooper scored the league’s first 20-point game. She led the Houston Comets to championships in 1997 and 1998, earning Finals MVP each year and setting a rookie-record 44 points in 1997. Her dominance helped cement the league’s early popularity and paved the way for later playoff scoring feats.

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Story summary

Arike Ogunbowale scored a playoff-record 45 points as Dallas defeated Golden State 108-100 in overtime.
She hit a game-tying three with 4.1 seconds left, forcing overtime.
Ogunbowale became the first player to score 40+ points in a winning elimination game.
Alysha Clark contributed 21 bench points for Dallas.
Gabby Williams recorded a career-high 36 points for Golden State.

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