Kayla McBride scored 24 points on Wednesday afternoon to help the Minnesota Lynx post a 96-87 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Sparks in Minneapolis.
Courtney Williams added 19 points and Olivia Miles had 18 for the Lynx (19-6), who won their fourth consecutive game, building on the best record in the WNBA. Natasha Howard had 10 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota, which trailed by nine points in the third quarter.
Rae Burrell led the Sparks (10-13) with 24 points, while Nneka Ogwumike posted a 23-point, 12-rebound double-double. Dearica Hamby, Erica Wheeler and Cameron Brink each chipped in 10 points for Los Angeles, which dropped its seventh game in 10 tries. Brink logged 15 minutes in her first action since June 15 due to a left ankle sprain.
The Sparks pushed their two-point halftime lead to nine when Ogwumike’s triple put Los Angeles ahead 53-44 with 6:16 remaining in the third.
Minnesota answered with a 19-3 run to grab a seven-point advantage at the 2:36 mark of the third. Brink’s 3-pointer stopped the bleeding before Ogwumike’s second triple sliced the Sparks’ deficit to 68-67 after three quarters.
The Lynx began the fourth on an 8-2 run, extending their lead to 76-69 on Maya Caldwell’s trey.
With 6:07 left, Burrell’s 3-pointer pulled the Sparks within five, but McBride’s five consecutive points jump-started a 10-2 Minnesota run, giving the Lynx their first double-digit lead of the game.
McBride drilled a 25-foot triple to extend the margin to 10, 94-84, with 1:19 remaining, icing the win.
Los Angeles jumped out to a nine-point lead on Ogwumike’s jumper midway through the first quarter. The Sparks led 18-12 entering the second.
Minnesota took its first lead at the 8:00 mark of the second quarter, as Antonia Delaere’s jumper put the Lynx ahead 21-20.
After Williams’ basket gave the Lynx a five-point lead, Brink scored four of the Sparks’ seven straight, giving the visitors a 30-28 edge.
McBride’s layup with 24 seconds left in the half cut the Lynx’s deficit to 39-37. McBride’s 12 first-half points led all scorers, while Burrell’s 11 paced the Sparks.
–Field Level Media
