Back in February, Olivia Miles put together the kind of performance that people rarely forget. When TCU locked horns with Baylor during the 2025-26 NCAA season, the young star erupted for 40 points and knocked down 10 three-pointers in one of the greatest shooting displays of her college career. At the time, it felt like one of those nights that would be almost impossible to recreate. But on Thursday night against the Golden State Valkyries, Miles came remarkably close to doing just that.
The 23-year-old scored a career-high 28 points as Minnesota held off the Valkyries for an 87-84 Commissioner’s Cup win. She knocked down 8 of her 11 three-point attempts while also recording seven assists, four rebounds, and three blocks. The performance was so impressive that it sent Cheryl Reeve on a trip down memory lane.
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As reported by reporter Cassidy Hettesheimer on X, Reeve said, “The last few games we feel like she’s got opportunities to shoot the ball. She is a good shooter and it’s an afterthought. And so we had been trending towards her being confident to take shots, and once she saw a couple go down, it felt like she was playing Baylor again, I guess.”
And that comparison makes perfect sense. Just like she did on that memorable night against Baylor, Olivia Miles looked completely fearless once the first few shots started falling. Any hesitation disappeared, and by the time the final buzzer sounded, she had already carved out a place for herself in the WNBA record books.
Her eight made threes set a new WNBA rookie record for the most three-pointers made in a game, passing Caitlin Clark’s previous mark of seven from the 2024 season. And interestingly, this isn’t the first time Miles has either matched or surpassed a record once held by the Fever star.
Earlier this season, she tied Clark as the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 100 points and 40 assists to begin a career. She also joined Clark as the only rookies in league history to record at least 19 points, nine assists, and three steals in a game. But that’s not all! Miles became the third-fastest player in WNBA history to reach 100 points and 50 assists, trailing only Clark and Sabrina Ionescu.
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This performance will likely hold a special place for the former Notre Dame and TCU guard because success from beyond the arc had been hard to come by during the early part of her WNBA career. Entering the game, Miles had made just 2 of her 18 attempts from beyond the arc and did not attempt a single three in her last game against the Mercury, as per reporter Alexa Philippou.
Even with her playmaking on full display, Miles looked more like the version of herself from early in her college career than the shooter she later developed into.
Before her ACL injury at Notre Dame, Miles was a dynamic playmaker, but the three-point shot wasn’t a major part of her game. She shot 24.6% from deep across her first two-plus seasons with the Fighting Irish, according to The Athletic. However, that changed after her recovery. Between her final season at Notre Dame and her lone year at TCU, Miles shot an impressive 37.6% from beyond the arc.
“I’ve always been able to shoot,” Miles said as per the Athletic. “I think it’s just a matter of me being comfortable, me taking the right shots, getting in the right rhythm for me obviously within our system, so I just felt comfortable tonight. Obviously, they were going under the ball screens, which, you know, they respect my drive. So I just had to be confident and knock them down.”
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With Miles finally finding her rhythm from beyond the arc, it’s also worth recognizing just how important she has been for a Lynx team that entered the season with several key departures. Minnesota lost Alanna Smith, Jessica Shepard, and Natisha Hiedeman to other teams, while also waiting for Napheesa Collier to return from injury. Despite those challenges, Miles has stepped in seamlessly and made an immediate impact.
In fact, few rookies have adjusted to the WNBA as smoothly as she has. Miles scored in double figures in each of her first 10 games, setting a new franchise rookie record and surpassing a mark previously shared by Hall of Famer Seimone Augustus and Tonya Edwards. “Baby Chelsea Gray” is the nickname Courtney Williams gave her after her debut, and Miles has done nothing but justify it. The rookie has helped ensure the team’s level never dropped.
Lynx Keep Rolling Behind Olivia Miles
With this win in their bag, the Lynx have now improved to 8-2 on the season and stretched their winning streak to six games, and this just serves as another reminder of just how consistent this group has been since the start of the year.
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The only two losses they have recorded so far came against the:
Now, you may have already noticed it, but the Lynx didn’t lose a single game by a huge margin. Both of them were neck-to-neck till the last minute.
However, Minnesota has already responded in kind. The Lynx have since taken revenge against both teams, flipping those early setbacks into statement wins as they continue to build momentum in the 2026 season.
And even the Golden State Valkyries didn’t make it easy for them in their latest game. Cecilia Zandalasini put up 18 points while Janelle Salaun added 17, keeping the Valkyries within striking distance deep into the fourth quarter. But Minnesota’s dominance in these early weeks has been difficult to shake.
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Coming to Olivia Miles, she is currently averaging 17 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game, building a case as one of the most impactful newcomers in the league. And if she can carry this form into the upcoming games, it will be hard to control the Lynx.
For now, the Lynx won’t get much time to breathe as they will face the Seattle Storm in their next matchup, and without a doubt, it will be a test that will show just how far this winning streak can really go.
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The post “Must’ve Felt Like She Was Playing Baylor Again”: Cheryl Reeve Reflects on Olivia Miles Overtaking Caitlin Clark’s Rookie Record appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
