Kayla McBride set a WNBA record with eight 3-pointers in the first half and finished with 24 points as the visiting Minnesota Lynx trounced the Las Vegas Aces 111-58 on Saturday as star Napheesa Collier departed with a right ankle injury.
Collier’s injury occurred in the closing minute of the third quarter when her feet tangled with teammate Alanna Smith under the Aces’ basket. She was helped off the court and finished the game with 18 points after scoring 14 in the third alone.
Collier entered with a WNBA-best 23.8 points per game.
McBride, who went 8-8 from the three-point line in the first half, did not make one in two second-half attempts to fall one short of tying the WNBA record for a game.
Minnesota set franchise records for 3-pointers in a half with 13 and in a game with 17. The 53-point margin of victory was a WNBA record by a road team.
Minnesota (24-5) has won six of its last seven games.
Jewell Loyd scored 12 points for the Aces (14-14), while A’ja Wilson was held to 10 on 4-of-11 shooting. Wilson entered as the league’s second-leading scorer at 22.1 points.
The Lynx’s 35 points in the opening 10 minutes tied their most for a quarter this season.
McBride sixth 3-pointer of the first half came from 30 feet with 1:36 left in the second quarter. Her eighth 3-pointer of the half came from 29 feet with 42.3 seconds remaining as Minnesota took a 64-30 lead. The Lynx led 67-33 at the break.
McBride checked out for good with five minutes left in the third quarter and didn’t return to finish 8 of 10 from distance. Aces coach Becky Hammon subbed out her entire starting five around the same time and played with substitutes the rest of the game.
The Lynx’s 67 first-half points were their most since 2017. Minnesota shot 76.5 percent from the floor in the first half and 59.2 percent for the game.
–Field Level Media
