After earning their first win of the season in Seattle, Connecticut faces another tough Western Conference test Monday night against the surging Valkyries.
The Connecticut Sun will try to carry momentum into another difficult road game Monday night when they take on the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center in San Francisco. Connecticut enters the matchup coming off an emotional victory over Seattle that snapped an early-season losing streak and gave the team a much-needed confidence boost heading into the next stretch of the schedule.
For the Sun, the biggest positive from recent games has been the emergence of their younger players alongside veteran leadership from Brittney Griner. Connecticut’s roster underwent major changes entering the 2026 season, and the early weeks have featured growing pains as the team adjusts to new roles, rotations and chemistry. Still, the Sun showed resilience in Seattle, battling through adversity late and finding enough offense to close out the win.
Griner remains the centerpiece of Connecticut’s offense and defense. Her ability to dominate inside gives the Sun an advantage around the basket, especially on the glass and in rim protection. Connecticut will likely continue running much of its offense through the veteran center while relying on guards like Hailey Van Lith, Charlisse Leger-Walker and Saniya Rivers to create perimeter scoring opportunities. Rookie contributions have become increasingly important for the Sun as injuries and roster changes continue to impact rotations early in the year.
The challenge, however, will be significant against a Golden State team that has quickly developed a reputation as one of the WNBA’s toughest defensive groups. The Valkyries recently earned an impressive win over the New York Liberty, holding one of the league’s strongest offenses to just 70 points while forcing turnovers and controlling the pace of the game. Golden State’s aggressive defensive pressure and physical play style have become trademarks of the expansion franchise early in the season.
Golden State has also started to receive strong production from its backcourt. Tiffany Hayes is coming off a season-high scoring performance, while former UConn guard Kaitlyn Chen continues to grow into a larger role off the bench. Their speed and ball pressure could create problems for Connecticut’s young guards if the Sun struggle to protect the basketball.
Another key factor will be rebounding. Connecticut has shown flashes of strong effort on the offensive glass this season, and second-chance opportunities may be critical against a Valkyries defense that rarely allows easy half-court baskets. If the Sun can control the paint and limit turnovers, they will have an opportunity to compete deep into the fourth quarter once again.
Monday’s matchup also continues a demanding travel stretch for Connecticut, which has spent much of the opening month on the road against playoff-level competition. Games like this are important opportunities for the Sun’s younger core to gain experience while building chemistry under pressure.
Tipoff between Connecticut and Golden State is scheduled for Monday night at Chase Center.
