​Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve received a proclamation from Gov. Tim Walz declaring a “Cheryl Reeve Day” in recognition of her record-breaking week, which culminated in the Lynx finishing strong with a 90-85 win over the New York Liberty on Saturday. Kayla McBride led Minnesota with 25 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, while Olivia Miles contributed 23 after returning from a calf injury, helping the Lynx edge their opponent in a tense finish. Reeve, who earned her 380th career win on Wednesday, became the WNBA’s all-time leader in coaching victories. Yet she downplayed the milestone, emphasizing that her focus was on the team’s performance and growth from New York’s earlier showing.
“The recognition was nice, but more than anything our group was disappointed in how we played in New York,” Reeve said. “We always say this isn’t supposed to be easy, and it certainly wasn’t. Even after they went up six, we found a way anyway. That tells you a lot about our team.”
Miles was back in the lineup after missing two games with a calf strain and quickly made an impact, becoming the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 350 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists in just 21 games. McBride also achieved a milestone, surpassing Skylar Diggins for 22nd place on the all-time scoring list with 5,761 career points.
Minnesota grabbed an early edge, fueled by a 12-2 run to lead 17-13 in the first quarter. Miles added 11 points in the second period, helping the Lynx take a 42-32 advantage into halftime. The third quarter belonged to New York, as Sabrina Ionescu poured in 19 of her 25 points and the Liberty ripped off a 21-2 run to seize a 62-61 lead entering the final period.
“We weren’t getting stops, we weren’t scoring, and everything kind of drained us,” Reeve said. “In the fourth quarter, we settled ourselves, went back to our starting group, and challenged them to get it done. They defended much better.”
McBride delivered three consecutive 3-pointers to vault Minnesota ahead 84-80 with 2:43 remaining, her five-field-goal night largely framed by timely shots from beyond the arc down the stretch. Paris’ I think you must note a correction here: the sequence featured McBride’s clutch shooting to widen the lead, while Ionescu answered for New York before Natasha Howard converted on a Nia Coffey feed to make it 86-83. Miles then went 1 of 2 from the line to push the lead to 88-83. The Liberty trimmed the margin to three, but Miles secured a decisive rebound and drew a foul to seal the win. Reeve wasn’t surprised Miles didn’t force a shot down the stretch.
“She knows. Most players understand that situation, and I wasn’t surprised at all that Olivia handled it that way,” Reeve said. “She thinks the game really well, and that moment was completely in line with how we expect her to play.”
For McBride, the victory carried extra significance with her mother courtside to witness the moment. “When it was tied late, I just knew we had to pull it out. I trust my experience. I never feel like I don’t know what to do next,” McBride said. “Having my mom watching in person made it even more special because she doesn’t get to see me play very often. I honestly felt like I was a kid on the playground just having fun.”
Howard finished with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Courtney Williams added 12 points and 11 boards. Ionescu’s 25 points led New York (13-10), underscoring the Liberty’s fight in a close, back-and-forth game that kept the crowd engaged until the final seconds. The result improved Minnesota’s outlook as they continue to ride the momentum of a milestone week for Reeve, the strengthening rotation, and Miles’ rapid all-around production reaching new benchmarks in a historic season.