Phoenix developmental player Marta Suarez spoke with Valkyries Beat before the game and said she has no ill will for the Valkyries. She even shared a pregame moment hugging Valkyries mascot Violet, and told her, “I still have the bracelet you give me on draft night.”

“Every time I go out there to shoot, I know everybody from security guards, obviously the people in the staff and the roster and the other team,” she said. “So it's a pleasure, and then there's always fans calling my name and supporting, so I have a lot of heart and a lot of love for this space, especially for the Bay.”

Tiffany Hayes played just 13 minutes after she took a big hit off a rebound in the second quarter on Tuesday, but she had been playing one of her better games off the bench all season. She finished with seven points in 13 minutes and had a plus-minus rating of +11.

“As she jumped in the air, boom, she’s getting hit in the head,” head coach Natalie Nakase said. “The ref said she hit her head on the ground and I was like, ‘Well, check something.’ In some way, that can’t be an OK physicality play. But again, Tip is probably one of the toughest.”