A big win for Baylor to start the season over Duke. The Bears only have three Power 4 opponents on their non-conference schedule so to getting this win is huge. Duke has a ton of key non-conference games left but need to find more offense going forward. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #ncaaw #bracket

I will be bringing you bracketology for @theixbasketball.bsky.social all season long. I’m looking forward to breaking down the bracket as this college basketball season gets started!

There has been plenty of change around the WCC as teams prepare for the 2025-26 season. With so much still unknown, who will earn the conference's coveted top spot? Our @matthew-walter96.bsky.social previews the upcoming season:

Cecilia Zandalasini misses a fadeaway jumper at the buzzer and the Golden State Valkyries first ever season ends in the first round of the playoffs. A great game by the Valkyries but the experience of the Lynx shined in the fourth quarter. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

Golden State gets basket from Cecilia Zandalasini and Minnesota has a shot clock violation which gives the ball back to the Valkyries. They will have it in the frontcourt down 1 with four seconds left. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

The Valkyries have back to back possesions to retake the lead and are unable to score. The have scramble on the next defensive possesion and Courtney Williams hits a clutch mid-range jumper. Lynx lead 75-72 with 29.5 remaining. GS calls a TO to advance the ball. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA

After the Lynx cut the lead to 3, five straight points from Golden State have extended their lead back to 8 and forced a Minnesota TO. The offense has struggled here in the 4th and GS will need their defense, which has been their strength, to close this one out. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA

Here come the Lynx, a 9-0 run to start the fourth and they have cut the Golden State lead to five. Valkyries have not been happy with the calls to start the final quarter and Minnesota has finally started to look like themselves. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

After three, Golden State leads 63-49. Minnesota made a push but the Valkyries weathered the storm. Golden State's defense has been dictating for the majority of the game. They've held Minnestoa to 22% from downtown and 39% from the field. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

Bridget Carleton has gotten hot to start the third and helped Minnesota cut into this GS lead. She's hit three triples and the Valkyries lead is down to 10. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

The Valkyries announce a sellout for tonight's Game 2 at the SAP center, with 18,543 fans in attendance. That makes 23 straight home sellouts in their first season. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

28 points is Minnesota's lowest first-half total in any game in the last two years. #WNBA

At the half, Golden State leads Minnesota 41-28. Golden State continued it's great shooting from the first quarter into the second and defensively smothered Minnesota, holding them to nine second quarter points. Six Valkyries have 5 or more points. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

Five straight points from Golden State has given their largest lead of the series, 35-24 with 3:17 in the second and forced a Minnesota timeout. More great ball movement as the Valkyries have 11 assists on 13 made baskets. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

The first four minutes of the second quarter have been very defensive. The two teams have combined for eight points with offense being choppy for both squads. GS leads 30-24 with 5:41 remaining in the second. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

After one Golden State leads Minnesota 27-19. The Valkyries hits 5 threes in the 1Q and shot 67% from the floor. If you think your having deja vu, you are. This is very similair to the first quarter of game one. Now the question is can the Valkyries sustain. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #Valkyries

After Minnestoa started up 5-0, Golden State responded with 10 of the next 14 points to lead 10-9 early. The Valkyries have had some good ball movement so far. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

Temi Fagbenle has been ruled out of tonight's Game 2 with right night knee pain. She had been taken out of tonight's starting lineup. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

We may be at another venue but the SAP center is sure giving off the vibes of Ballhalla. Valkyries and Lynx tip at 7 with every fan receiving a purple shirt. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

Natalie Nakase has been named the 2025 WNBA Coach of the Year. Nakase and her staff have taken the first year team to places no expansion franchise has been before. Check out my story on Nakase and her staffs impact on GS. @theixbasketball.bsky.social Link: www.thenexthoops.com/wnba/golden-...

Tiffany Hayes has been ruled out again tomorrow for Game 2 against Minnesota. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

So what happened to the Valkyries, and how do they fix it in time for Game 2? Our @matthew-walter96.bsky.social digs into what we learned on Sunday #WNBA www.thenexthoops.com/features/whe...

Veronica Burton has been named the 2025 WNBA Most Improved Player. Burton set career highs across the board while being third in the W in assists. Check out my story from earlier this year on Burton’s journey to this moment. @theixbasketball.bsky.social Link: www.thenexthoops.com/wnba/golden-...

The Valkyries first ever playoff game didn’t go as planned as they fall to Minnesota 101-72. After the 1st quarter, Golden State shot just 27% from the floor. The Valkyries got outscored 80-44 and turned the ball over 15 times over the final 3 quarters. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

Minnesota just did Minnesota things in the 3rd as they scored 32 points and now lead the Valkyries by 21. The Valkyries offense has struggled mightily since the first quarter, knocking down just two threes and eight total shoots over the 2nd and 3rd. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

The Valkyries offense went cold in the second quarter and Minnesota took advantage. The Lynx outscored GS 26-12 in the quarter to take a seven point lead into the half. Fagbenle leads the Valkyries with 12 points but McBride leads all scorers with 14. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

After putting up 28 points in the first quarter, Golden State has scored just 5 points so far in the second. Minnesota outscoring the Valkyries 15-5 in the second. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

Golden State leads Minnesota 28-21 after the first quarter. An excellent start from beyond the arc for the Valkyries helped propel the strong start. Already made 5 threes after making just three in the regular season finale against the Lynx. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

Tiffany Hayes remains out for the Valkyries for tomorrow afternoons Game 1 against Minnesota. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

Natalie Nakase has spent all season gushing about the work her coaching staff has put into the Valkyries. It’s all their hard work that has allowed Golden State to be the surprise team this WNBA season and made Nakase a front runner for COTY. #WNBA #Valkyries

The Golden State Valkyries are the first WNBA expansion team to ever make the playoffs in its debut season. @matthew-walter96.bsky.social describes what it took for the team to get there in its 2025 campaign. www.thenexthoops.com/features/how...

Golden State hangs on for an 84-80 win to secure a playoff berth in their inaugural season. It wasn’t their prettiest win but the Valkyries gets it done late. GS wins as it’s done all season, by committee, with five in double figures. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

Paige Bueckers makes a mid-range jumper and Golden State makes one free throw to make it a four point game with 15 seconds left. Dallas calls a timeout and advances the ball. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

Veronica Burton, the Valkyries MVP the second half of the season, hits a clutch and-1 layup over Paige Bueckers to give the Caljyries a 5 point lead with 22.3 seconds remaining. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

It’s been back and forth here over the last three minutes. Dallas just took the lead on a tough Paige Bueckers and one. Neither team has been able to take more than a one possession lead. Dallas lead 73-72 with 3:34 remaining. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

We have a 6.5 minute game! Janelle Salaun hits her second three of the fourth quarter and we are all tied at 68. Golden State has had much better energy over the last 7 to 8 minutes and this building has been much louder because of it. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

Golden State found their energy again late in third quarter, going on a 17-8 run over the final 5 minutes of the quarter to cut the Dallas lead to four heading into the fourth. GS bench has contributed 29 to Dallas’ 7. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

After a good response late in the 1st, Golden State had a very inconsistent 2nd and Dallas took advantage. The Wings finished the quarter on a 12-3 run and takes a 9 point lead into the locker room. The Valkyries looked flat in that second quarter. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

A good response by Golden State who finished the first quarter on a 21-10 run to take a one point lead after one. Bench has been big for GSV as they’ve scored 14 points already. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

Not a good start for Golden State as Dallas scores the first seven points of the game and forces a Natalie Nakase timeout. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

We’re underway from the Chase Center as the Valkyries battle the Wings. A win secures Golden State a playoff spot. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

With the Sparks loss to the Dream tonight, the Valkyries can clinch a playoff spot tomorrow night if they beat the Wings. Golden State continues to be the story of this WNBA season. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

Golden State leads 56-44 going into the 4Q. GS extended their lead all to 22 but a 13-3 NY run to finish the quarter has made this a game again. The Valkyries struggled with turnovers against the Liberty length which allowed NY to go on their run. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

In one of the weirdest basketball games I've ever seen, Golden State handles business against Indiana 75-63. The win moves the Valkyries into sixth in the standings and 2.5 games up on LA for the last playoff spot. Iliana Rupert scores a career high 21. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

An 8-0 run by the Valkyries has them back up 13 with 5 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Golden State had a six point possesion after Kate Martin was fouled shooting a three and then GS got the ball back after a flagrant one being called on the closeout. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA

At the end of three, GS leads Indiana 55-48. That quarter was played in reasonably normal time but the Valkyries struggled offesnviely, scoring just 11 points. Rupert leads the Valkyries with 13 points. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

The third quarter has not been the prettiest for either team but Golden State still leads Indiana, 50-43 with 3:17 remaining in the quarter. After make nine of their first 10 threes, the Valkyries have missed their last five. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

At the end of what felt like the longest half of basketball ever, Golden State leads Indiana 44-32. With all the stoppages, the Valkyries were able to find some sort of offensive rhythm behind nine made threes and 52% shooting from the floor. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

We have another clock stoppage. Since the last one, the Fever are on a 9-2 run and cut the Valkyries lead to 36-23. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries

We've got another stoppage due to the clock. Golden State leads 34-14. with 7:10 remaining in the second. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #WNBA #Valkyries