​MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kayla McBride poured in 14 of her 25 points in the fourth quarter to spark the Minnesota Lynx as they edged the New York Liberty 90-85 on Saturday. Olivia Miles, returning from a calf injury, added 23 points, helping Minnesota overcome a 13-point deficit from their earlier meeting with New York eight days prior. Natasha Howard contributed 16 points for the Lynx (17-6), while Courtney Williams finished with 12 points.
For the Liberty (13-10), Sabrina Ionescu led with 25 points, though New York has now dropped four of its last five games. Breanna Stewart posted 17 points, Jonquel Jones recorded 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Marine Johannes supplied 14 points off the bench.
Miles, who came back from the calf injury, made a pivotal defensive stop with 1:21 remaining and the Lynx clinging to an 86-83 edge. Following that sequence, Courtney Williams and McBride each secured offensive rebounds before Miles knocked down two free throws to stretch the advantage to 88-83 with 53 seconds left. Miles then missed a pair of free throws with 42 seconds to go, giving New York a late chance.
The Liberty answered with a Jones bucket, and Williams hit a jumper just before the shot clock expired. Although she missed, Miles secured the rebound and then added two more free throws with eight seconds remaining to seal the victory for Minnesota.
Minnesota seized control early with a 12-2 run to close the first quarter, taking a 17-13 lead. Miles scored 11 points in the second period as the Lynx led 42-32 at halftime. Ionescu dominated the third quarter for New York, pouring in 19 points as the Liberty outscored Minnesota 30-19 to seize a 62-61 edge heading into the final frame. A McBride jumper briefly extended Minnesota’s lead to 56-41 midway through the third, but Johannes answered with back-to-back 3-pointers to fuel a late rally that put New York in front at 62-61 entering the fourth.
Upcoming on the schedule: Liberty at Toronto on Sunday. For Minnesota, they’ll host Phoenix on Monday. This win improves the Lynx’s momentum as they continue their title chase, while the Liberty look to rebound from a stretch of tough results. As the teams move forward, fans can expect a competitive stretch as both franchises push toward stronger post-season positioning.