MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sabrina Ionescu scored 18 points on six 3-pointers, Breanna Stewart added 17 points and the New York Liberty beat the Minnesota Lynx 76-66 on Friday night.
New York (21-6) has won three straight since dropping a home game to Minnesota on July 28. Ionescu had 31 points and seven 3-pointers in that game.
Ionescu finished with six of New York’s nine 3-pointers in the rematch. The Liberty struggled from the field, shooting just 40%, but dominated the paint. New York outrebounded Minnesota 43-32, including 16 offensive rebounds that led to 25 second-chance points.
New York also held Minnesota to just 24 second-half points.
Minnesota star Napheesa Collier played her first game since dropping 24 points and 11 rebounds on July 26. She was out with a right ankle sprain. Collier had 18 points and eight rebounds and Kayla McBride added 14 points for Minnesota (13-15).
SKY 104, WINGS 89
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Kahleah Copper and Courtney Williams each scored 25 points, Alanna Smith added 20 and the Sky beat the Wings to spoil Natasha Howard’s first career triple-double.
Williams made a career-high five 3-pointers, on just six attempts, and Copper made all four of her 3-pointers. Chicago was 14 of 24 from behind the arc and shot 55% overall in reaching 100-plus points for the second straight game.
Howard finished with 28 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for just the third triple-double in Dallas’ franchise history.
Marina Mabrey added 16 points, five rebounds and four assists for Chicago (11-15).
Satou Sabally scored 18 points for Dallas (15-12).
SUN 88, FEVER 72
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tiffany Hayes scored 18 points, DeWanna Bonner added 14 and the Sun beat the Fever.
Connecticut dominated the first half. The Sun scored 13 straight points in the first quarter to take an early 20-10 lead. Bonner, Hayes and Natisha Hiedeman combined for 26 of Connecticut’s 31 points in the first quarter, while the Fever scored 22 points.
The Sun extended their lead to 56-33 by halftime after shooting 66% from the field, including making 7 of 13 3-pointers. Bonner had 11 points in the first half and Hiedeman added 10.
Alyssa Thomas, coming off back-to-back games with a triple-double, had 11 points, seven rebounds and eight assists for Connecticut (20-7).
Aliyah Boston had 19 points and eight rebounds for Fever (7-20).
MYSTICS 79, SPARKS 77
WASHINGTON (AP) — Tianna Hawkins scored 17 points, Queen Egbo added 15 and the Mystics beat the Sparks to snap a three-game losing streak.
Natasha Cloud put Washington ahead 75-67 with 3:28 remaining in the fourth quarter before Los Angeles scored the next six points to get within 75-73. Hawkins ended Washington’s scoring drought on a fast-break layup with 39 seconds left for a four-point lead. After Los Angeles went 1 of 2 from the free-throw line, Cloud sealed it by making two free throws with 8.1 seconds left.
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough scored 11 points, and Cloud and Li Meng each finished with 10 points for Washington (13-13), which was coming off a three-game road swing.
Azura Stevens had 19 points while Nneka Ogwumike added 18 for Los Angeles (9-18).
