NEW YORK (AP) — Kamilla Cardoso had 22 points and a career-high 16 rebounds, Angel Reese scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and the Chicago Sky beat the New York Liberty 91-85 on Thursday night to end a five-game losing streak.
Chicago (9-26), which had lost 13 of 14 overall, also snapped a five-game skid against New York.
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Ariel Atkins scored 19 points, nine in the fourth quarter, and Michaela Onyenwere added 13 for the Sky in a game that featured 21 lead changes and 11 ties.
Jonquel Jones made a career-high tying five 3-pointers and scored 25 points for the Liberty. Sabrina Ionescu added 16 points and Natasha Cloud 14.
Ionescu made two free throws that gave the Liberty an 85-83 lead with 2:23 left in the game. Atkins answered with a runner in the lane, drew a foul fighting through a screen by Emma Meesseman, and then made one from the free-throw line to give Chicago the lead for good with 1:35 remaining.
New York, the defending WNBA champion, went 0 for 4 from the field with a turnover as the Sky closed the game on an 8-0 run.
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SUN 67, MYSTICS 56
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Tina Charles scored 21 points, Aaliyah Edwards added 10 points against her former team, and Connecticut beat Washington to secure back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
Connecticut (8-27) won at home for just the sixth time in 18 games this season, while Washington (16-20) dropped to 6-12 on the road. The Sun have won nine of the last 11 regular-season meetings with the Mystics in Connecticut dating to the 2019 season.
Rookie Leila Lacan, in her eighth straight start, had five of Connecticut’s season-high 14 steals. Charles moved ahead of Katie Smith (1,440) for eighth on the WNBA’s career list for made free throws.
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Sonia Citron scored 15 points for Washington. Rookie Kiki Iriafen had 13 points and 10 rebounds for her 13th double-double of the season.
DREAM 75, LYNX 73
COLLEGE Park, Ga. (AP) — Allisha Gray scored 27 points, Rhyne Howard added 16 and Atlanta held on for a victory to hand Minnesota consecutive losses for the first time this season.
Bridget Carleton scored 16 points for Minnesota (28-7) and Jessica Shepard had 15 points and 16 rebounds.
Gray completed a four-point play to begin Atlanta’s 12-0 run that ended in a 66-60 lead with 6:05 remaining in the fourth quarter. Minnesota missed its first six shots of the frame.
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Minnesota got within 73-71 with 48.9 seconds left on a 3-pointer by Alanna Smith and Atlanta was called for a backcourt violation following a coach’s challenge. Smith’s shot in the lane rolled off and Maya Caldwell made two free throws at the other end to give Atlanta a four-point lead.
The Dream were called for another eight-second violation with 12.6 seconds left. Minnesota guard Courtney Williams missed a layup and she turned it over on an inbounds play as time expired.
Gray had her 15th 20-point game this season for Atlanta (23-13), which tied its 2018 franchise record with 23 victories.
Kayla McBride also scored 15 points and Smith added 10 for Minnesota. Napheesa Collier missed her sixth straight game due to a right ankle injury.
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ACES 83, MERCURY 61
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A’ja Wilson had 19 points and 13 rebounds, Dana Evans scored 17 points and Las Vegas beat Phoenix to win its ninth straight.
Las Vegas (23-14) hasn’t lost since a 111-58 home defeat to Minnesota on Aug. 2, and has won 11 of its last 12. The Aces have won seven straight at home.
Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray and NaLyssa Smith scored 12 points apiece for Las Vegas.
Wilson, who had her 18th double-double this season, had her string of 30-point games snapped at three.
Alyssa Thomas had 17 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for Phoenix (21-14). Satou Sabally scored 15 points.
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Sabally scored in the post to make it a nine-point game but Evans answered with a running floater and Gray followed with a fadeaway that made it 59-46 at the end of the third quarter, and the Aces led by double figures the rest of the way.
The Mercury were limited to season lows for points (61) and field-goal percentage (31%).
Kierstan Bell hit a 3-pointer that gave the Aces the lead for good and sparked a 7-0 run that made it 23-17 at the end of the first quarter.