Jessica Shepard Wins MIP as Arike Ogunbowale Powers Wings to Game 3

ARLINGTON, Texas – Jessica Shepard started Wednesday with one of the biggest accomplishments of her career. She finished it by helping the Dallas Wings keep their season alive.

The Dallas forward was awarded the 2026 Kia WNBA Most Improved Player Award before the game. She received 29 of 74 votes from a panel of writers and broadcasters across the country. Washington Mystics center Shakira Austin earned 25 votes for second place.

It was an amazing year for Shepard in her first season with the Dallas Wings. She averaged career highs of 14.5 points, 11.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists and started all 42 games she appeared in. She had 467 rebounds, the second-highest total in a single season in WNBA history. She also led the league with six triple-doubles.

Shepard became the second Wings player to win the award, joining Satou Sabally, who won it in 2023.

When asked about winning the award, Shepard reflected on the journey.

“I think for me it was more just looking back over the course of my career and all the things that I’ve been through mentally, physically, and just the people who helped me get to that point,” Shepard said. “I don’t really care about the award itself, but more just being able to look back on everything I’ve been through.”

For Shepard, reflection would have to wait.

“Not right now,” Shepard said. “We have an elimination game tonight, so it’s not really the time to reflect on that.”

A few hours later, Arike Ogunbowale scored a WNBA playoff-record 45 points to help Dallas beat the Golden State Valkyries 108-100 in overtime. With 4.1 seconds left in regulation, she hit a 3-pointer to tie the game. Dallas went on to win in overtime at College Park Center in front of a sold-out crowd.

The victory tied the series 1-1 and forced a Game 3.

Dallas knew it had to play hard before the game.

“It could be the last game, so we know that we can’t hold anything back,” Shepard said.

They certainly didn’t.

After a dominant 104-80 loss to Golden State in Game 1, Dallas came out and showed more physicality and aggression.

“We felt like we got pushed around out there when we played in San Francisco,” Ogunbowale said. “Especially me personally, I don’t feel like I was aggressive. I don’t feel like I was trying to get to the hole. I just was being really passive and wasn’t playing my game.”

Her approach was evident early in Game 2.

She scored 10 points in the first quarter and 16 at halftime. Dallas came back from a seven-point deficit to take a 50-45 lead at halftime.

Dallas’ bench contributed early as well. Alysha Clark scored nine points off the bench in the first half. Aziaha James also added eight points. The Wings shot 57.1% from the field in the first half, setting a franchise postseason record for field-goal percentage in a half.

Golden State regained control during stretches of the third quarter, led by Gabby Williams, who scored seven points during a 10-2 run for Golden State. The Valkyries took a 74-72 lead into the fourth quarter.

Williams went on to score 36 points with six rebounds, seven assists and four steals.

Before the game, Williams said Golden State didn’t need to change what had worked in Game 1.

“That’s been our strength all year, is that we have our strength in numbers and our depth,” Williams said. “Everyone just has to just be themselves. It’s what I’ve been preaching. No one has to do anything different. That’s not what playoffs is about.”

Williams framed the playoff challenge this way:

“Don’t expect to do something different you haven’t done all year,” Williams said. “Just be an elevated version of yourself.”

Tiffany Hayes, who scored 21 points off the bench in Game 1, focused on sustaining the Valkyries’ success for an entire game.

“I want to make those into four quarters,” Hayes said. “Just putting together a complete game for all four quarters.”

Golden State’s plan did not carry over the same way in Game 2.

Both teams played evenly throughout the fourth quarter until Golden State took a 93-90 lead with 14.6 seconds left on the clock. One more defensive stop could have eliminated Dallas.

That’s when Ogunbowale delivered.

She rose up off a sideline out-of-bounds play and drained a 3-pointer with 4.1 seconds left to tie the game.

“She’s comfortable on that side of the floor, in front of our bench, because she can get into her step-back,” Wings head coach Jose Fernandez said. “And that was a big shot.”

Neither team was able to score on the final possession of regulation.

Ogunbowale banked in a 3-pointer to start overtime. Williams responded with a jump shot. Then James followed with a putback. Williams hit another three to tie the game at 98.

Ogunbowale and Hayes were assessed Flagrant 1 fouls, and both made their awarded free throws, leaving the game tied at 100 with 2:26 remaining.

Golden State failed to score the rest of overtime.

Ogunbowale sank another 3-pointer, and she and Clark sealed the game at the free-throw line. Dallas finished overtime on an 8-0 run and outscored Golden State 15-7 in the extra period.

Ogunbowale scored 11 of the Wings’ 15 overtime points, tying Lindsay Whalen for the most points scored in an overtime period in WNBA postseason history.

She scored 45 points on 12-of-23 shooting, made 5-of-8 from 3-point range and went 16-of-18 at the free-throw line. She also had seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.

“I knew I wanted to come out and just be really, really aggressive,” Ogunbowale said. “I didn’t know what I would score. I just knew that I was going to shoot regardless because I just feel like seven shots isn’t enough to win playoffs.”

While her name may be in the record books, Dallas did not win the game with Ogunbowale alone.

Clark came off the bench and scored 21 points, tying her postseason career high. She shot 6-of-7 from the field, 3-of-4 from deep and 6-of-6 at the free-throw line.

Clark was also one of the loudest voices for the team throughout the huddles.

“The same message, but tonight, yeah, there was more of a sense of urgency,” Clark said. “This was a must-win game or our season ended.”

Clark kept emphasizing effort throughout the night.

“We played hard from start to finish and just making sure that we kept that same intensity,” Clark said. “It’s hard when you’re in the playoffs. You’ve got to play really, really hard.”

She has been preparing for moments like that throughout her career.

“What I’ve done the entirety of my career is just stay ready,” Clark said. “I learned early on when I was the last player on the bench that when your opportunity comes, you have to be ready.”

Her preparation doesn’t change whether she expects to play no minutes or 30.

“I know what I’m capable of,” Clark said. “I know the value that I bring, and I knew at some point our team was going to need that.”

Her opportunity came Wednesday.

Her playoff history shaped that approach.

“Experience is everything,” Clark said. “I’ve had my fair share of being in win-or-go-home games on both sides of it when we’re up and when we’re down. And so I know what’s at stake and I know what it takes.”

Then came one of the best quotes from Clark.

“You don’t win by accident.”

She also appreciated what Dallas received from some of its younger players.

James came off the bench and scored a postseason career-high 13 points in 18 minutes. She also had a team-best plus-minus of plus-19.

“I’m so proud of Z,” Clark said. “Just her growth this season, from the very first preseason game to where she’s at now.”

For Clark, James’ impact went beyond scoring.

“Her lock-in tonight was what impressed me the most,” Clark said. “Her hustle plays on the defensive boards, her going in and crashing the O-boards and getting stuff. That type of energy, it matters in these types of games.”

Clark pointed to the plays that can go unnoticed.

“All those little things is what it comes down to, diving on the floor,” Clark said. “For her to show up the way that she did today, it was everything we needed.”

Ogunbowale felt the same about James during her first WNBA postseason.

“For this to be her first playoff, she came and did exactly what she needed to and more,” Ogunbowale said. “She definitely was poised, she was aggressive, she was competitive. She didn’t back down from anything.”

Bueckers impacted the win in a different way.

Although she scored just 10 points on 3-of-13 shooting in Game 2, Bueckers played 43 minutes and added four rebounds, four assists and two steals.

“She didn’t have the best shooting night, but her presence on the floor and to still keep shooting, regardless of how they’re throwing everything at her, they don’t even want her to touch the ball,” Ogunbowale said.

“And rightfully so. She’s one of the best players in the league.”

Ogunbowale added:

“Just for her to stay aggressive regardless of if it’s going in and still doing everything for us, regardless of the stats,” Ogunbowale said.

Fernandez saw the win as evidence of Dallas’ growth beyond relying on Bueckers for scoring.

“For us to do what we did today without Paige having the type of game that she always has offensively for us, to come out with a win is huge,” Fernandez said. “We had other people step up, and that’s what we needed in Game 1.”

Shepard finished her big day with four points, eight rebounds and six assists in more than 40 minutes.

Dallas shot 50% from the field, 52.2% from three and 86.5% at the free-throw line. The Wings set franchise postseason records with 108 points, 12 made 3-pointers and 32 made free throws.

Dallas also snapped a seven-game losing streak against Golden State. The Wings beat the Valkyries for the first time since June 17, 2025.

Golden State’s postgame focus quickly turned to its defense.

“Our energy was different,” Williams said. “I didn’t recognize us tonight. I don’t think any of us did.”

For Williams, the concern went back to Golden State’s identity.

“We’re not here to trade baskets with people,” Williams said. “We’re a defensive team. We need to get stops.”

Nakase agreed.

“We don’t give up 108 points,” Nakase said. “That’s just completely uncalled for.”

Nakase also knew Golden State failed to execute part of its scouting report when it came to Ogunbowale.

“We knew she likes to step back left, and we didn’t get into it,” Nakase said. “We didn’t force her right.”

The Valkyries also pointed to Ogunbowale’s 18 free-throw attempts.

“We just have to stay disciplined, stop reaching on her, make her make contested shots versus fouling her,” Williams said.

For Fernandez, the response said something about the Wings’ resilience.

“A lot of different teams would have laid down and planned some vacations and some fly-outs in the next couple days,” Fernandez said. “This team didn’t.”

Clark felt Dallas showed what it needed to do to win playoff games.

“For us to be able to show up and fight the way that we did today, I’m just really proud of this group,” Clark said. “We did what we were supposed to do on our home court, and so now it’s going back to San Fran and getting ready for another dog fight.”

Dallas will travel to Chase Center in San Francisco on Friday, Oct. 2, for Game 3 of the series. The game will air nationally on ESPN2. The winner will advance to the WNBA semifinals and face the winner of the series between the No. 3 Las Vegas Aces and No. 6 Indiana Fever.

The Wings have never won at Chase Center. Golden State went 17-5 at home during the regular season and beat Dallas 104-80 there in Game 1.

The stakes are now the same for both teams.

“Tomorrow’s a new day and it’s a new game,” Kayla Thornton said. “It’s do or die.”

No matter what Ogunbowale accomplished Wednesday, it won’t mean nearly as much if the Wings cannot finish the job.

“I can have that and we get put out, and it really doesn’t mean anything,” Ogunbowale said. “Winning is more important.”