The Minnesota Lynx recovered from a lopsided Friday loss to beat the Chicago Sky 79-74 Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis.
Leading Minnesota (24-9) was a strong second half surge from Courtney Williams. The guard scored 10 of her 22 points in the fourth quarter. Kayla McBride scored 17 points while Napheesa Collier had a quieter 15-point performance to put the Lynx back in the win column.
Sky rookie Angel Reese had 19 rebounds in a losing effort, which put Reese into the record books. The forward broke the WNBA record for most rebounds in a season, passing Sylvia Fowles’ 404 rebounds in 2018.
Although the Lynx never trailed, Chicago (11-21) scored 11 of the first 13 points of the fourth quarter, tying the game with 7:41 remaining. Williams responded, scoring two baskets in a row to make it a two-possession game that Chicago couldn’t overcome, despite Chicago out rebounding Minnesota 38-24.
Turnovers helped the Lynx in the victory, as they forced 21 from a Sky lineup featuring two rookie starters. Minnesota scored 27 points off those turnovers.
In the fourth quarter, Reese broke another record, this time for offensive rebounds in a season, passing Yolanda Griffith’s 162 rebounds in 2001. Reese had seven offensive rebounds in the defeat and still has eight games to add to both records.
Reese also scored 17 points, with Kamilla Cardoso scoring a season high 22 points on 7-for-11 shooting and Michaela Onyenwere adding 15.
Missing for Chicago was leading scorer Chennedy Carter. Rachel Banham started in the guard’s place but was held scoreless.
In the first quarter, Minnesota got off to a hot start, scoring on its first six offensive possessions. The Lynx forced seven turnovers, without having a single turnover of their own.
–Field Level Media