The Golden State Valkyries couldn’t capitalize on a hot shooting night behind the arc as they fell to the Las Vegas Aces, 91-81, at Chase Center on Sunday. 

The Valkyries shot a franchise-tying record 16-for-35 from 3-point range but struggled inside the arc against the Aces’ interior defense, which was led by four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson. 

Coming into the game, Golden State allowed the fewest points per game in the league, while the Aces scored the third most points per game.

The Aces shot 47.8% from the field compared to Golden State’s 33.8% from the field as a team.

Valkyries forward Gabby Williams said that the team let its offense dictate its defense, which goes against the team’s overall philosophy. 

“We were relying on scoring versus getting stops and then playing in our pace,” Williams said. 

Golden State’s defense was on display in the first quarter as it held the Aces to 43% shooting, with Wilson scoring only 4 points.

The Valkyries started the game 0-for-4 from 3-point range before hitting a flurry of 3-pointers that were capped off by fan favorite guard Kaitlyn Chen, who buried it from the right wing.

The game was back and forth in the second quarter, with Wilson single-handedly keeping the Aces afloat and giving them a 2-point lead going into halftime.

Coming out of halftime, the Aces took control of the game, outscoring the Valkyries 29-13 in the third quarter, with Wilson and guard Jackie Young doing most of the damage for Las Vegas.

The game was physical inside, with Aces forward NaLyssa Smith catching Williams in the head, resulting in a Flagrant 1 foul on Smith. 

Late in the fourth quarter, Golden State started to mount a comeback after adjusting its defense to put more pressure on Las Vegas. 

Williams and forward Janelle Salaün hit big 3-pointers, cutting the deficit to 87-79 in the final minute. 

Salaün and Williams both scored8 points during the late comeback.

In the first quarter, Salaün scored her 500th career point on a jump shot from the top of the key. 

The Valkyries’ comeback ran out of time as the Aces hit free throws and finished timely buckets to put the game away. 

Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase said her team’s fight late in the fourth quarter helped drive the comeback, and the defensive strategy played a big part in forcing Las Vegas out of its game. 

“It took Vegas out of their rhythm, because we’re pressing them, so with that pressing it makes them force into a different action,” Nakase said. “We got an extra couple possessions out of it, and then that gave off transition offense, and it led to some easy shots, so our defense dictated our offense. That’s our mentality.”

Golden State shot 9-for-39 on 2-point attempts, struggling against the Aces’ defense and on several layups that barely trickled off the rim.

Wilson finished with 4 blocks, 28 points and 15 rebounds after struggling in the first quarter. 

Her pick-and-roll game with Young proved to be unstoppable as they combined for 29 points in the second half, picking apart the Valkyries’ defense.

Valkyries forward Kayla Thornton was tasked with guarding Wilson multiple times throughout the game and held her own with 2 steals and 4 rebounds. 

She added 12 points, including 4 from beyond the arc, helping keep Golden State atop the league rankings in 3-pointers made.

Thornton said that despite the offensive woes inside, the team is effective at scoring in the paint and needs to return to its defense-first focus. 

“I think we’re a great team that attacks the paint. If you miss it, that’s okay, it’s onto the next thing,” Thornton said. “But like Gabby (Williams) said, we’re a defense-first team. So I think that’s what we have to get back to understanding. That’s how we want to win games.” 

The Valkyries will close out the four-game homestand when they face the Portland Fire on Tuesday at 7 p.m.