Valkyries (7-6) vs. Connecticut (2-12) Postgame Notes and Quotes
WNBA Golden State Valkyries

Valkyries (7-6) vs. Connecticut (2-12) Postgame Notes and Quotes

Published on June 23, 2025 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Golden State Valkyries News Release


Golden State 87, Connecticut 63

By the Numbers

The Valkyries posted their seventh sellout with 18,064 fans. Golden State, who leads the league in attendance, has sold out every home game this season.

Kayla Thornton paced all players with 21 points, one away from tying her career high, and had eight rebounds while being +31 on the night.

Laeticia Amihere recorded her first career double-double with 10 points and a career-best 12 rebounds.

Chloe Bibby posted her second-straight double-digit scoring performance with 11 points in 19:34 minutes, going 3-7 (42.9 percent) from three-point range.

Tiffany Hayes scored 14 points in the start, both Hayes and Thornton hit double figures before halftime.

Veronica Burton added 10 points, her seventh double-digit scoring performance of the year.

Kaitlyn Chen scored her first career field goal on an and-one layup early in the second, and had five points in 20:55 minutes of action

Aerial Powers and Bree Hall made their Valkyries debuts, with Powers scoring two points and Hall recording three.

All 11 players who played tonight for Golden State recorded points.

The 59 first-half points are a season high for Golden State.

It's the fifth time this season the Valkyries have had five double-digit scorers in a game (4-1 record in those contests).

Golden State has scored 30 or more points in the paint in six straight games, and are 5-1 over that stretch.

The Valkyries had single-digit turnovers for the second straight game (nine tonight, seven versus Indiana on June 19).

The 24-point victory is the second largest margin of victory this season (defeated Las Vegas by 27 on June 7).

Quotes

HEAD COACH NATALIE NAKASE

ON THE QUICK START TONIGHT:

"Talking about being one of the top defensive teams. Actually, our goal is number one, so that's really where we're trying to emphasize how we're getting out in the gates. So, obviously, keeping them to 63 points, that's a great beginning to where we really want to push the envelope on the defensive side."

ON KAITLYN CHEN TONIGHT:

"She's been obviously practicing with more of our second unit, just getting more familiar with the players and their frequencies and what they like, and so she stepped in right away.I mean, she was prepared. Credit to her positional coaches, they've been doing a great job on the off days with her.

So, yeah, she was prepared."

ON STEPHANIE TALBOT TONIGHT:

"That's what I love about Steph, is she knows how to impact the game in any way. I really felt the last game she defended, it just really wasn't highlighted, wasn't on the stats, but she defended multiple people. Caitlin (Clark), she defended (Aliyah) Boston, she defended so many people, and then tonight she comes in and she just was moving that ball, making the right reads, and then, again, we emphasized tonight our goal was to out-rebound Connecticut, and then look what she does. So, basically, whatever I think our key points are, she just takes ownership, and that's what we need, and that's what I love about Steph, is she's willing to do whatever it takes to win."

FORWARD KAYLA THORNTON AND GUARD TIFFANY HAYES:

ON THE STRONG START TONIGHT:

Thornton: "Yeah, I think we just kind of stuck to the game plan. We knew that we couldn't come in here relaxed. Again, this is another team that their record does not reflect who they are, they're a great team and we didn't want the same thing that happened against Dallas to happen tonight. So shout-out to our team and shout out to our fans tonight."

ON OUTSCORING THE SUN IN THE PAINT:

Hayes: "I think that's our main focus, is we want to get paint points. I think that was what was just working for us. I know we always say we want to shoot the ball when we're open, but at the end of the day if they're going to give us the paint we're going to take that as well. So I think we just read the reads really well and we got in the paint when we needed to. We sprayed out when we needed to and people knocked down their shots."

ON STEPHANIE TALBOT'S PERFORMANCE:

Hayes: "She's huge, man. Steph, shout out to Steph. That's big for us, getting those extra possessions and dagger threes afterwards. So kudos to Steph. She's always in there working hard so I'm glad that people are starting to see her hard work."

Up Next

The Valkyries welcome New York to Ballhalla on Wednesday, June 25 at 7:00 p.m. on KPIX+, KMAX, 95.7 The Game, and the Audacy App.

Check out the Golden State Valkyries Statistics

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