Napheesa Collier drops 30 points as Lynx top Liberty 100-93 in WNBA
Napheesa Collier scored 30 points on 11-of-16 shooting and pulled down nine rebounds to lead the Minnesota Lynx to a 100-93 win over the New York Liberty on Wednesday night in Minneapolis. The game was the first meeting between the teams since the 2024 WNBA Finals, and the Lynx (23-5) came out on top with a balanced offensive effort.
Kayla McBride chipped in 24 points, while Alanna Smith added 12 points and five rebounds, going 5-of-7 from the field. Minnesota shot 49.3 percent overall and knocked down 15 of 31 attempts from three-point range (48.4 percent).
Sabrina Ionescu led the way for the Liberty (17-9) with 31 points on 11-of-20 shooting, while Isabelle Harrison provided a spark off the bench with 15 points. Natasha Cloud added 12 points and dished out seven assists in the loss.The game was tied 24-24 at the end of the first quarter after the Lynx closed the period on a 7-2 run, capped by a McBride three-pointer. Ionescu had given New York a 22-15 lead with a pull-up jumper, but Minnesota quickly responded.
The Lynx took control in the second quarter, outscoring the Liberty 27-18. Collier scored the final seven points of the half, including two layups and a three-pointer, sending Minnesota into the break up 51-42.Minnesota led by as many as 13 late in the third before New York closed the quarter on a 7-0 run to trim the deficit to six. The Lynx, however, held strong in the final period to secure the win.
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