Rupert scores career-high 21 with five 3s as Valkyries beat Fever 75-63
The Valkyries (21-18) excelled in the first quarter, making 7 out of 8 attempts from beyond the arc, establishing a 20-point lead before concluding the quarter with a remarkable 12 for 19 performance from three-point range, including five from Rupert.
This victory reduced their magic number to three with five games left in the season. They currently hold a 2.5-game lead over Los Angeles and are in close competition with the Fever (21-19) and Seattle (22-19) for playoff positioning.
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Janelle Salaun and Kate Martin each contributed 10 points for Golden State, while Veronica Burton recorded 13 assists.
For the Fever, reserve Aerial Powers led the team with 17 points, as they continue to miss reigning Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark. Kelsey Mitchell added 14 points, and Natasha Howard scored 13, but Aliyah Boston was limited to just four points, nearly 12 below her average.
The game experienced a lengthy delay in the early minutes due to technical issues with the shot clocks, which malfunctioned while the Fever were leading 3-2. After a 20-minute interruption, it was decided to use temporary shot clocks positioned on the baseline, after which the Valkyries surged ahead, hitting four consecutive three-pointers.
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At the conclusion of the quarter, the Valkyries held a 25-14 advantage, setting a franchise record for three-pointers made in a single quarter.
They swiftly extended their lead to 20 points; however, the Fever managed to recover from the free-throw line, ending the first half trailing 44-32.
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With 7 and a half minutes remaining, Indiana narrowed the gap to 55-50, at which point the Valkyries resumed their three-point shooting. Golden State achieved a shooting percentage of 8 out of 12 in the fourth quarter, while Indiana recorded 5 out of 15.
The Fever will visit Phoenix on Tuesday, while the Valkyries will host New York.
Chris John