Game Notes: Golden State Valkyries (16-15) vs. Connecticut Sun (5-26)
WNBA Golden State Valkyries

Game Notes: Golden State Valkyries (16-15) vs. Connecticut Sun (5-26)

August 12, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Golden State Valkyries News Release


Golden State Valkyries (16-15) vs. Connecticut Sun (5-26)

Golden State 74, Connecticut 57

By the Numbers

The Valkyries posted their 15th-straight sell-out crowd of the season with 18,064 on Monday. Golden State has sold out all 15 home games during its inaugural season.

With 2:24 in the first, Tiffany Hayes passed Sheryl Swoopes for 31st all-time on the WNBA scoring list with her 4,877th career point. Hayes finished the game with 17 points on 6-13 (46.2 percent) shooting, five rebounds, and four assists with a +/- of +26.

Cecilia Zandalasini also had 17 points, shooting 3-8 (37.5 percent) from three, and has shot 7-14 (50.0 percent) from three her last two games.

Janelle Salaün posted 16 points and was 4-7 (57.1 percent) from three-point range which ties her career high for threes in a game.

Iliana Rupert added 10 points off the bench, and Temi Fágbénlé had nine rebounds to go with six points.

Veronica Burton handed out 10 assists, the fourth time this season she's recorded double-digit assists. Burton has the third-most double-digit assists games in the WNBA this season, trailing just Alyssa Thomas (11) and Caitlin Clark (5).

The Valkyries shot 50.0 percent (5-10) from the three in the fourth quarter and 39.4 percent from deep overall (13-33).

Golden State has held back-to-back opponents to under 60 points (Los Angeles scored 59 on Saturday, August 9), and tied a season low with seven turnovers.

The Valkyries starters scored a total of 59 points, with three players scoring over 15 points, and outscored Connecticut's entire team in the contest.

60 of the Valkyries' 74 points were assisted on, and Golden State finished the game with 23 assists which is two off their season best.

Quotes

HEAD COACH NATALIE NAKASE:

ON THE SECOND-HALF ADJUSTMENTS:

"I thought we were taking quality shots, too, at the beginning. We were getting wide-open layups sometimes, and we're just missing. I think it's just the fact they didn't fall quickly right away sometimes I mean, natural reactions, you just kind of get down a little bit, and I told them just keep your heads up, continue to let it fly, continue to touch the paint, and we'll spray. I'd say our push was a little bit better in the second half. But again, we don't know when the threes are going to fall, whether it's first, second, third, fourth quarter. We just continue to say, let it fly, shoot with a lot of confidence, and that's what they did."

ON VERONICA BURTON'S CONTRIBUTIONS:

"I really believe she deserves to be the most improved player in the W, because she can impact games without even scoring. So 10 assists, especially versus a team like Connecticut, their guards are vicious on the ball. They're scrappy, they pressure us. Credit to V on being able to get to the paint, make the reads, keeping the game simple, but then also with only one turnover. I think that's pretty impactful. So, I'm going to continue to push because she doesn't just impact the game just with her defense, she gets her players involved, and that's what you need from a point guard is someone who constantly impacts the game regardless of their scoring."

ON TIFFANY HAYES PASSING SHERYL SWOOPES ON THE ALL-TIME SCORING LIST:

"Sheryl Swoopes is an icon, so that's huge. When I was little I looked up to Sheryl Swoops, and I thought she never missed, and so for Tip to be able to pass her, just credit to Tip of the longevity of her career, keeping her body fresh, and then also coming out of retirement, thank you, Tip; and her taking the leap of faith to want to come and take this journey with me to Golden State. So just really glad Tip is on our team, and she continues to shoot the ball."

GOLDEN STATE FORWARD JANELLE SALAÜN, GUARD TIFFANY HAYES, AND FORWARD CECILIA ZANDALASINI:

ON VERONICA BURTON'S IMPACT:

Hayes: "Her poise in the game, also she apparently has eyes in the back of her head. She's a leader on our team so she knows how to control the tempo, finding that open man, she can get past anybody. So with her just getting in the paint and spraying out to those open players. Like I said we were knocking down shots today, so kudos to her for doing what she does best."

ON THE PHYSICALITY THIS GAME:

Zandalasini: "They are a physical team and they always play like that. We didn't want to just look at the standings, because most of their games finish very close. So they're physical. They play physically with their guys, with their bigs, so I think we did a great job today in adjusting and doing better with our turnovers. We took care of the ball better so that was one of the keys."

ON CONTINUING THIS OFFENSIVE SURGE ON THE ROAD:

Zandalasini: "We always got to play and be confident in the way we play. Also, tonight in the first half we didn't have great percentages on shooting and then we were able to turn that up. So just being confident in the way we play and trust each other. The communication with us needs to be even better on the road because we don't have our fans giving us energy. Overall, I think we're doing a great job. We know that these two games that are coming up on the road are going to be very important."

Up Next

Golden State will head to Washington to face the Mystics on Wednesday, August 13 at 4:30 p.m. PT on KPIX, KMAX, and the Audacy App.

Check out the Golden State Valkyries Statistics



Women's National Basketball Association Stories from August 12, 2025


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