The Golden State Valkyries will be the eighth seed in the WNBA playoffs after their 72-53 regular season finale loss to the Lynx in Minnesota on Thursday. Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman led all scorers with 21 points, while Napheesa Collier added 19 points and three 3-pointers on 8-for-10 shooting. With Collier's ultra-efficient outing, she became just the second player in WNBA history to average 50-40-90 shooting splits (FG%, 3PT%, FT%) for a season. The Valkyries didn't have any players score in double figures and shot just 3-for-27 from three.

Golden State was swept in the regular season series by the top-seeded Lynx, who will be their first-round playoff opponent. The Valkyries completed their inaugural regular season with a 23-21 record — their 23 wins are the most by an expansion team in their first season in WNBA history. The Lynx finished with 34 wins and 10 losses.

VALKYRIES START SLOW, COLLIER SETS EARLY TONE
The Valkyries got off to a slow start, scoring just eight points in the first quarter on 4-for-18 shooting, including 0-for-7 from behind the arc. Meanwhile, Lynx star forward Napheesa Collier herself scored eight points in the frame, needing just four shots to reach that mark. Golden State also committed six turnovers in the quarter and found themselves in a nine-point hole. The Valkyries have scored eight points or fewer in a quarter four times this season, but Thursday's game was the first time it happened in the first quarter. Going 0-for-6 from three in the second quarter, Golden State failed to make a 3-pointer for an entire half for the first time this season. 

RUPERT ENDS GOLDEN STATE'S SHOOTING DROUGHT
Heading into the season finale, Iliana Rupert was the WNBA's leader in 3-point percentage at 44.9 percent. So with the Valkyries struggling from deep, missing their first 16 threes, Golden State called on Rupert to end the drought. With 2:03 remaining in the third quarter, Rupert made the Valkyries' first three from the right wing and less than a minute later, she hit another from the same spot. Golden State was 2-for-22 from three after three quarters. In the fourth quarter, she tweaked her ankle, ending her night with eight points and eight rebounds.

ZANDALASINI'S FIRST EXTENDED MINUTES SINCE INJURY
Cecilia Zandalasini played close to her typical rotation minutes for the first time since her nine-game absence due to a left calf injury. Zandalasini, who entered Thursday's game third in the league in 3-point percentage, scored eight points on 3-for-10 shooting. Until the final five minutes, in which the Valkyries trailed by nearly 20 points, Head Coach Natalie Nakase played a playoff-like eight-player rotation in which Zandalasini ranked sixth in minutes played. 

UP NEXT
The Golden State Valkyries will play their first playoff game in franchise history when they face the top-seeded Lynx in Minnesota on Sunday.