Kayla McBride scored half of her 16 points in the fourth quarter as the visiting Minnesota Lynx rallied past Chicago 70-62 on Sunday, despite Sky rookie Angel Reese’s WNBA single-season record 10th straight double-double.
Reese’s free throw with 23 seconds remaining in regulation clinched that league mark, giving her 10 points to go along with 16 rebounds. Reese had three of only five points managed by the Sky (6-11) in the fourth, where Minnesota (14-4) flexed its defensive muscle and scored 18 points to overcome a five-point deficit after three quarters.
Napheesa Collier scored nine of her 13 points in the second half, including five in the fourth, for Minnesota, which shot just 38.5 percent and committed 18 turnovers. All eight of McBride’s fourth-quarter points came at the free-throw line for the Lynx, who held Chicago to 30.5 percent shooting and forced 14 turnovers.
Former Sky guard Courtney Williams hit a runner in the lane and was fouled with 3:14 left in the fourth. She converted the three-point play for a 61-59 lead that highlighted Minnesota’s 11-0 run.
Collier also had 11 rebounds, six assists, four steals and three blocks. Chennedy Carter had 15 points for Chicago, while teammate Lindsay Allen set season highs with 13 points and three made 3-pointers.
Minnesota made three of its first five shots while opening a 7-0 lead. Then the Lynx went 4-of-15 from the field while scoring nine points the rest of the first quarter. Chicago, meanwhile, shot 10-of-19 from the floor, got a pair of 3s and eight first-quarter points from Allen to lead 24-16 after the opening 10 minutes.
The Lynx, though, scored 10 of the first 12 points of the second quarter — thanks to five from Alanna Smith (11 points). It went back-and-forth from there. Collier scored her first four points of the contest around the four-minute mark to give Minnesota a 34-32 lead. However, Allen recorded five points, including a layup at the halftime buzzer, as Chicago closed the first half on a 7-0 run to lead 39-34.
–Field Level Media