LEAGUES News
Collier leads with 30 as Lynx beat Liberty in Finals rematch
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Napheesa Collier had 30 points and nine rebounds, Kayla McBride added 24 points, and the Minnesota Lynx beat the short-handed New York Liberty 100-93 on Wednesday night in a rematch of last year's WNBA Finals.
Bridget Carleton made a 3-pointer from the corner with 7:08 remaining in the fourth quarter to give Minnesota a 79-66 lead. She added Minnesota’s 14th 3-pointer — on just 27 attempts — less than two minutes later to make it 84-69.
Minnesota's lead reached 92-77 before New York scored 11 straight over a two-minute stretch to get within four. Collier ended the run on a three-point play with 50.1 seconds left for a seven-point lead.
Collier went 11 of 16 from the field and 6 of 9 at the free-throw line to record her fifth 30-point game of the season for Minnesota (23-5). The Lynx connected on a season-high 15 3-pointers and reached 100 points for the fourth time this season.
Sabrina Ionescu countered with 31 points for New York (17-9), which did not have star Breanna Stewart due to a bone bruise in her right knee. Isabelle Harrison added 15 points and Marine Johannes scored 14.
Alanna Smith added 12 points for Minnesota, and Carleton and Natisha Hiedeman each scored 10. Courtney Williams had a career-high 13 assists to go with six points and nine rebounds.
Collier drained a 3-pointer with 14.3 seconds left in the first half for a 51-42 lead. She scored 19 points in the first half, including the Lynx’s final 11 of the second quarter.
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