SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Gabby Williams hit two key 3-pointers over the final six minutes and finished with 18 points, Veronica Burton had 11 points, 11 assists and five rebounds, and the Golden State Valkyries held off the Washington Mystics 74-69 on Saturday night for their ninth straight win.
Kayla Thornton connected on a go-ahead 3-pointer with 4:14 remaining and finished with 11 points. Williams’ 3 with 5:55 left cut the Washington lead to 65-62, and then Kiah Stokes hit from deep to tie the game. Burton’s 3 with 2:14 remaining made it 71-65 as the Valkyries ended on a 15-4 run.
Washington guard Sonia Citron went down on her backside beneath the Valkyries basket with 7:19 left in the third quarter after a hard collision with Cecilia Zandalasini as they fought for a rebound. Citron returned and had 12 points.
The Valkyries have won 13 of 15 — with 11 wins at home, where the team has sold out every game at Chase Center since the start of its inaugural season last year.
Shakira Austin had 18 points and matched her career high with 16 rebounds for the Mystics, who had 45 boards in a 75-56 loss to Portland on Thursday, including 19 on the offensive glass to equal the most in the WNBA this season. Washington leads the league in rebounding and had 37 Saturday.
The Valkyries came in allowing a WNBA-low 76.1 points and 69.2 over the previous five with a Western Conference-leading defensive rating. Coach Natalie Nakase said before the game her team still must do a better job of being the aggressor.
Golden State certainly delivered on both ends down the stretch.
After falling behind 18-10 on Michaela Onyenwere’s 3 with 33 seconds left in the first, the Valkyries responded with a 23-6 run on the way to a 33-28 halftime lead.
Up next
The teams meet again at Chase Center on Monday night in their final game before the All-Star break.
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