COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) — Cecilia Zandalasini scored 18 points and converted a short baseline jumper with 3.9 seconds left to lift the Golden State Valkyries to a 77-75 win over the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday night.
Zandalasini got the ball at the top of the key and drove to her right before squaring up at the baseline to hit the shot over defender Alyssa Gray.
Brittney Griner’s shot at the buzzer from about 18 feet barely grazed the rim for Atlanta.
Tiffany Hayes scored 15 points, reserve Caria Leite added 12 and Veronica Burton had 10 for Golden State (12-13). Led by Zandalasini, the Valkyries’ bench had a 39-16 scoring advantage.
Jordin Canada had 21 points and eight assists to lead the Dream (15-11). Naz Hillmon had 14 points and eight rebounds and Gray scored 12 points.
It was the first home game for Atlanta since a 90-81 win over the Valkyries that featured a 15-2 run in the fourth quarter. It almost happened again as the Dream trailed 69-56 entering the fourth.
The Dream took a 75-73 lead on Canada’s three-point play with 3:08 to play. Zandalasini quickly answered for Golden State. Neither team scored for more than 2 1/2 minutes before Zandalasini put the Valkyries on top.
Atlanta was coming off ending league-leading Minnesota’s 14-game home winning streak on Sunday, the same day the expansion Valkyries had their biggest loss of the season, 85-64 at Connecticut.
The game was tied at 39 at halftime and the Valkyries closed the third quarter on a 21-6 run.
___