Natisha Hiedeman bombed in six 3-pointers en route to a career high-tying 24 points, Jessica Shepard contributed 12 points and 13 rebounds and the visiting Minnesota Lynx spoiled a record-setting night for the expansion Golden State Valkyries with a 78-72 triumph on Saturday in San Francisco.
One game after becoming the first WNBA expansion team to clinch a playoff berth in its inaugural season, Golden State drew 18,064 at Chase Center to sell out all 22 home games and bring the final season attendance to a league-record 397,408.
Led by then-rookie guard Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever had set the previous attendance record of 349,313 last season.
Seeking a sixth straight win, the Valkyries led 52-45 with 3:28 remaining in the third quarter before the Lynx scored the game’s next 16 points to take command at 61-52 by period’s end.
Hiedeman keyed the run with two 3-pointers and by drawing a flagrant foul on Veronica Burton on another attempt from beyond the arc, resulting in three free throws, which she made, and possession of the ball, which concluded in a Shepard hoop.
Napheesa Collier also had a 3-pointer in the game-swinging flurry, during which the Valkyries went 5:25 without a point.
Minnesota went on to lead by as many as nine before the Valkyries rallied down the stretch, eventually getting within 74-72 on a three-point play by Burton with 45 seconds remaining.
But Collier countered with a short jumper with 36 seconds to go and the Lynx (33-9), who already have clinched the best record in the regular season, held on for a third consecutive win over Golden State this season.
Collier finished with 20 points and Courtney Williams 14 points to go with eight rebounds and a team-high five assists for the Lynx, who will host Golden State one more time in the regular-season finale on Thursday.
Janelle Salaun, Iliana Rupert and Kaila Charles had 15 points apiece and Burton finished with 14 to complement six rebounds and a game-high six assists for the Valkyries (23-19), who retained the No. 6 playoff spot with two games remaining.
–Field Level Media
