Collier scores 30, McBride 24 as Lynx beat Liberty 100-93 in Finals rematch

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Napheesa Collier poured in 30 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while Kayla McBride scored 24, leading the Minnesota Lynx to a 100-93 win over the short-handed New York Liberty on Wednesday night in a rematch of last season’s WNBA Finals.

Bridget Carleton hit a key corner 3-pointer with just over seven minutes left in the fourth quarter to extend Minnesota’s lead to 79-66. She followed up with another long-range shot less than two minutes later, marking the Lynx’s 14th 3-pointer on just 27 attempts, pushing the lead to 84-69.

Minnesota eventually built a 92-77 advantage before New York surged back with an 11-0 run, closing the gap to 92-88 with two minutes remaining. But Collier halted the comeback with a three-point play with 50.1 seconds left, sealing the game with a seven-point cushion.

Collier finished an efficient 11 of 16 from the field and hit 6 of 9 free throws, recording her fifth 30-point performance of the season. The Lynx (23-5) knocked down a season-high 15 three-pointers and hit the 100-point mark for the fourth time this year.

Sabrina Ionescu led the Liberty (17-9) with 31 points. Playing without star forward Breanna Stewart, who is sidelined with a bone bruise in her right knee, New York also got 15 points from Isabelle Harrison and 14 from Marine Johannes.

For Minnesota, Alanna Smith chipped in 12 points, while Carleton and Natisha Hiedeman each added 10. Courtney Williams delivered a standout all-around performance with a career-high 13 assists, along with six points and nine rebounds.

Collier’s dominance was on display early — she drained a 3-pointer with 14.3 seconds left in the first half to give Minnesota a 51-42 lead, having scored the team’s final 11 points of the second quarter.