MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Alanna Smith scored 25 points, Courtney Williams had 14 and the Minnesota Lynx held off the Washington Mystics 80-76 on Friday night to improve to 16-1 at home this season.
Smith and Washington rookie Sonia Citron each scored eight straight points for their teams down the stretch. Citron’s three-point play with 2:44 left pulled the Mystics within 71-70, but Smith answered at the other end with her fourth 3-pointer.
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Citron sank a 3-pointer from the wing with 59 seconds remaining to tie it at 76-all. Williams answered with a baseline jumper to give Minnesota a two-point lead.
Washington guard Sug Sutton was fouled with 36 seconds left but the call was overturned following a review. The Mystics won the jump ball, but Citron turned it over in the lane.
Kayla McBride sealed it with two free throws.
DiJonai Carrington, in her home debut for the Lynx after being traded from Dallas, added 12 points for Minnesota (26-5). McBride scored 11. Napheesa Collier (right ankle) did not play.
Citron finished with 26 points and four 3-pointers for Washington (13-17). Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin each scored 12 points.
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LIBERTY 88, WINGS 77
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Sabrina Ionescu scored 16 points, Emma Meesseman had 14 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals, and New York beat Dallas for its third straight victory.
Leonie Fiebich and Jonquel Jones also scored 14 points apiece for New York (20-10). Natasha Cloud and Marine Johannes each added 10.
Arike Ogunbowale scored 17 points and Maddy Siegrist added 15 off the bench for Dallas (8-23), which has lost four straight games. Myisha Hines-Allen had 12 points and seven rebounds.
Dallas was without rookie Paige Bueckers due to a back injury that required treatment when the teams met Tuesday in New York. Breanna Stewart, Kennedy Burke and Nyara Sabally did not play for the Liberty.
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Meesseman had 14 points, six rebounds and four assists in the first half to help New York build a 50-34 lead. The Liberty made 51.5% of their shots, including 5 of 12 from 3-point range, and 11 of 11 free throws in the half. The Wings were held to 33.3% shooting with nine turnovers.
ACES 90, STORM 86
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A’ja Wilson had 29 points and 12 rebounds on her 29th birthday, Jackie Young added 26 points, including a key 3-pointer with 51 seconds left, and Las Vegas beat Seattle for its fifth win in six games.
Young scored seven straight points at the end of an 9-0 run to give Las Vegas a 63-44 lead midway through the third quarter.
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Seattle closed the third on a 17-6 run — with all six Las Vegas points from Jewell Loyd. The Storm also scored the opening seven points of the fourth to get to 71-70.
Dominique Malonga completed a three-point play with 5:38 left to tie it at 75 — the closest Seattle had been since it was tied at 25. But Young scored the next five points.
Young’s late 3-pointer made it 90-84.
Chelsea Gray added 13 points and NaLyssa Smith had 10 points and 11 rebounds for Las Vegas (17-14). Loyd finished with 10 points against her former team. Young’s second basket in the first half moved her past Becky Hammon for fifth in franchise history for most made field goals.
