With a 2-1 lead in the WNBA Finals following a dominant 97-71 victory in Game 3, the Atlanta Dream sit just two wins away from their first championship in franchise history. The next contest returns to State Farm Arena—a venue where Atlanta has remained undefeated in the 2026 postseason. Although the odds are stacked against the Golden State Valkyries, their second-season miracle run still has life left. Beyond their underdog status, Golden State’s roster features a core connected by elite championship experience: playing under Geno Auriemma at UConn.

Gabby Williams, Tiffany Hayes, Kiah Stokes, and Kaitlyn Chen all won national titles under Auriemma. While their WNBA paths differ, all four were shaped by a program that has captured a record 12 NCAA women’s basketball national championships and sent 54 players to the league. Auriemma himself noted that Golden State’s success is directly tied to his former players.

“Every kid that spent that time here has certain qualities that make you win championships… And I don’t think I’d be overstating it that if those four were not on that team, they wouldn’t be where they are today,” Auriemma told reporters in Connecticut.

Historically, UConn and the Valkyries could not be more distinct. Auriemma started his 42nd season at Storrs this year, while the Valkyries made their WNBA debut just last season. However, Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase has instilled a defensive identity heavily echoing Auriemma’s system.

During their 2025–26 campaign, the Huskies featured the No.1 scoring defense in the nation, allowing just 50.4 points per game. They ranked fourth in steals (15.6 per game), fifth in field goal percentage defense (33.5%), and seventh in turnovers forced (25.0 per game).

The Valkyries entered their second postseason boasting the WNBA’s best defensive rating (99.3). Nakase built the system around rotational discipline, communication, and multi-positional pressure—qualities her UConn alums helped anchor. That elite defensive mindset proved key in Game 1 of the Finals, where Golden State held Atlanta to 64 points in a 68-64 victory. Individual accolades followed: Gabby Williams was named to the WNBA All-Defensive First Team, while Kiah Stokes and Veronica Burton earned All-Defensive Second Team honors.

“Another great story that’s not talked about is the impact Kiah Stokes has had on winning in her whole career,” Auriemma recently said about Stokes. “Who wouldn’t want to coach a kid that says, ‘Don’t throw me the ball. Just let me play 27 minutes. Let me block four shots, get 10 rebounds, get a couple of steals, and just shut down the other team’s best player.’ That’s like a coach’s dream.”

Despite their defensive foundation, the Valkyries trail 2-1 after Angel Reese led Atlanta to back-to-back wins. Turnovers have severely hindered Golden State, with 36 giveaways over the last two games translating to 46 points for the Dream.

To turn the series around in Game 4, Golden State must pair their elite defense with consistent offensive execution. Stokes has already elevated her presence, increasing her playoff averages to 9.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game compared to 5.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in the regular season.

“One thing UConn taught me was to play through adversity when things aren’t going your way… Geno would always make the practices so hard, the games would seem easier,” Stokes noted.

After dropping Game 2 by 14 points and Game 3 by 26, Williams addressed the team’s defensive breakdown and efficiency struggles.

“Sometimes shots don’t fall. We don’t like to make it about offense. They scored 97 points—we have no chance if that continues. We just have to get back to our defense, and that will get our offense going. We were a bit undisciplined,” said Williams, who finished with 15 points in Game 3.

Game 4 at State Farm Arena represents a crucial must-win for Golden State. Powered by their UConn lineage and championship pedigree, the Valkyries look to level the series 2-2 before heading back to Chase Center for Game 5.