Liberty drop second straight game after 84-67 loss to Lynx

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Napheesa Collier had 15 points and 12 rebounds and the Minnesota Lynx hit 14 three-pointers to hand the New York Liberty their second-straight loss 84-67 on Saturday.

The Lynx used three threes in an 11-0 run to pull away from a tie late in the third quarter. A 6-2 outburst to start the fourth gave them a double-digit lead the rest of the way.

Alanna Smith also had 15 points for Minnesota (3-1). Kayla McBride hit four 3s and scored 14 points, with two of the threes coming quickly after New York tied the game at 55 late in the third. The Liberty were 14 of 28 from three.

Bridget Carleton, who started in place of Diamond Miller, also scored 14 points. Minnesota announced Friday that Miller was out indefinitely with a knee injury.

Breanna Stewart scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Liberty (2-4), who finished 7 of 29 behind the arc and only scored nine points in the fourth. Sabrina Ionescu added 13 points and Courtney Vandersloot had 12 but the other two starters — Jonquel Jones and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton — both had four. Leonie Fiebich had 11 points off the bench, going 3 of 5 behind the arc.

Minnesota raced to a 31-17 lead after the first hitting 7 of 11 3s; two by Cecilia Zandalasini in just three minutes off the bench. Smith hit a 3 to push Minnesota’s lead to 38-17 lead before Stewart’s basket in the lane at 5:58 ended a field goal drought of almost 7 1/2 minutes for the Liberty, who got within 44-40 at halftime.

Baskets by Ionescu pulled the Liberty into ties at 52 and 55 but then Courtney Williams hit a layup followed by McBride’s two threes and one from Smith for a 66-55 Lynx lead. Fiebich made a late 3 for the Liberty to make it 66-58 heading into the fourth quarter.