COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) — Kayla McBride scored 12 of her 15 points in the third quarter, Napheesa Collier had 14 points and eight rebounds, and the Minnesota Lynx beat the Atlanta Dream 76-64 on Tuesday night.
It was tied at 50-all with four minutes left in the third quarter before Minnesota closed on a 13-4 run to take a 63-54 lead. McBride, who only had two points in the first half, scored seven during the run.
Minnesota extended it to 74-60 with 3:49 left in the fourth on a 3-pointer by Bridget Carleton, while Atlanta went four minutes without making a field goal.
Minnesota held Atlanta to just 30% shooting overall (21 of 70).
LIBERTY 105, WINGS 91
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Breanna Stewart scored 27 points, Sabrina Ionescu had 14 points and 11 of New York’s season-high 33 assists, and the Liberty cruised by Dallas.
New York (30-6) became the first team this season to reach the 30-win plateau, with four regular-season games remaining. The Liberty hold a three-game lead over second-place Minnesota (27-9).
New York shot 55% from the field, including 16 of 29 from 3-point range. Ionescu made four 3-pointers and Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Leonie Fiebich each added three.
Stewart made all three of her 3-pointers in the first quarter to give her 15 points in the frame, while Dallas had just 18 points.
SUN 86, SPARKS 66
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Marina Mabrey scored a season-high 26 points and matched a career-high with six 3-pointers, Brionna Jones had 19 points and eight rebounds, and Connecticut beat Los Angeles.
Connecticut (26-10) moved within one game of second-place Minnesota (27-9).
Connecticut scored 15 straight points spanning the first-quarter break and led 43-32 at halftime behind three players with double-digit scoring. Jones scored 13, followed by 10 points apiece from Mabrey and DiJonai Carrington.
The Sparks were within 53-43 before Connecticut closed the third on an 11-2 run to extend its lead to 64-45. Mabrey’s sixth 3-pointer came with 4:51 left for an 82-54 lead.
Mabrey finished 9 of 13 from the floor to reach six made 3-pointers for the fifth time in her career.
The Associated Press
