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WNBA: Lynx, Liberty improve to 6-0

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Natisha Hiedeman made a 3-pointer with 5.1 seconds remaining to lift the undefeated Minnesota Lynx to a 74-71 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Friday night.

Hiedeman's clutch shot gave Minnesota the lead for just the second time in the fourth quarter. After a timeout, Sami Whitcomb missed a 25-footer for Phoenix.

Minnesota trailed 71-68 with a minute to go, but Courtney Williams hit a 3 to tie it with 53 seconds remaining.

Kayla McBride scored 20 points and Alanna Smith had 19 for the Lynx (6-0). Williams had 11 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

Satou Sabally had 26 points and 11 rebounds for Phoenix (4-2). Kalani Brown had 15 points on 7-for-8 shooting, and Whitcomb added 13 points.

The Mercury built a seven-point lead in the final minute of the third quarter and took a 58-53 lead into the final period after outscoring the Lynx 19-15 in the third.

 

Liberty beat Mystics to remain perfect

Sabrina Ionescu hit four 3-pointers and finished with 28 points, Jonquel Jones had 14 points and 18 rebounds, and the unbeaten New York Liberty beat the Washington Mystics 85-63.

The defending WNBA champion Liberty (6-0) are off to the best start in franchise history.

Brittney Sykes hit two free throws to cut Washington’s deficit to four about three minutes into the second half, but Ionescu was fouled as she hit a runner and made the free throw 12 seconds later to spark a 16-0 run that made it 63-43 with 1:54 left in the third quarter.

Sykes led Washington with 20 points. Kiki Iriafen scored 12 and Sonia Citron 10.

The Mystics had scoring droughts of six-plus minutes in the third quarter and four-plus minutes in the fourth. Washington shot 28% (21 of 74) from the field, 4 of 16 from 3-point range.

 

Wilson’s big game powers Aces

A'ja Wilson had 35 points and 13 rebounds and the Las Vegas Aces bounced back from a 20-point loss five days earlier to beat the Los Angeles Sparks 96-81.

This was the highest-scoring game for Wilson, who also had six assists, since her 41-point performance Sept. 1 at Phoenix. Jackie Young added 26 points for the Aces (3-2) and Chelsea Gray had 15.

Kelsey Plum led the Sparks (2-5) with 17 points, Odyssey Sims scored 15 and Dearica Hamby had 14. Plum and coach Lynne Roberts were hit with technical fouls for arguing with officials on separate occasions.

Las Vegas went on a 23-2 run before the Sparks closed the first quarter with a 15-5 spurt to draw to within 28-21. But the Aces had a 15-3 run in the second period to go up 54-36, and the outcome was not seriously in doubt after that.

This was Plum's first game in Las Vegas since she was part of the three-team trade in January in which the Aces acquired Loyd from Seattle.