New All-Star Kayla McBride had 18 points, Courtney Williams had 12 points and seven rebounds and the Minnesota Lynx beat the Phoenix Mercury 79-66 in Minneapolis on Wednesday afternoon in a game matching teams with the best records in the WNBA.
The league’s leading scorer Napheesa Collier had eight of her 10 points in the second half and Alanna Smith added 11 points for the Lynx, who won three of four in the season series and avenged a 79-71 loss in Phoenix a week ago.
Alyssa Thomas had 12 points and nine assists and DeWanna Bonner and Kalani Brown had 11 points apiece for the Mercury in the final game before the All-Star break. Brown had 11 rebounds and teammate Natasha Mack had 13.
The Lynx have won six of eight and finished the first half 20-4.
The Mercury, who had won nine of 11, were attempting to win consecutive games against the Lynx in the same season for the first time since August 2015.
McBride was added to the WNBA All-Star reserve roster Tuesday to replace injured Atlanta guard Rhyne Howard. McBride had five rebounds and five assists and made all six free throw attempts.
The Lynx were 10-of-23 from three-point range, getting at least one from all five starters and one from reserve Maria Kliundikova. Smith had three, one short of her season high, all in the third quarter.
Jessica Shepard’s tip-in at the buzzer gave the Lynx a 64-49 lead entering the fourth quarter, and they stretched it to 16 on Williams’ 3-pointer with six minutes remaining.
Bonner made her first start for the Mercury in her third game with them since being waived by Indiana. The Mercury played without injured starters All-Star forward Satou Sabally and guards Kahleah Copper and Monique Akoa Makani.
Thomas, who had a career-high 19 points in the Mercury’s victory last week, missed her first six field goal attempts and did not have a field goal until four minutes remained in the first half.
The Mercury shot 35.7 percent from the field. Minnesota has held an opponent under 40 percent shooting in 11 games this season. Phoenix did not lead after McBride’s 3-pointer made it a 7-5 lead two minutes into the game.
–Field Level Media
