Seattle wins 4th straight
MINNEAPOLIS — Breanna Stewart scored 29 points, including a go-ahead basket with 42.6 seconds left, and the Seattle Storm beat the Minnesota Lynx 81-79 on Tuesday night for their fourth straight victory.
Stewart made a floater in the lane to break a 79-all tie. After Minnesota came up empty at the other end on Moriah Jefferson’s off-balance layup attempt, Stewart dribbled down the clock and got it to Jewell Loyd, who missed a contested shot in the lane. But Stewart grabbed the offensive rebound and passed it out to run out the clock.
Epiphanny Prince made four 3-pointers in the opening five minutes of the fourth quarter and finished with 15 points for Seattle (9-5). Loyd added 13 points, including a three-point play for a 57-54 lead after Seattle started the third quarter on an 18-8 run. Sue Bird did not play due to a non-COVID illness.
Stewart scored 15 points in the first half but Seattle still trailed 46-39. The Storm finished 12 of 27 from 3-point range.
Kayla McBride scored 20 points for Minnesota (3-12), including a 3-pointer to tie it at 79 with 52 seconds left. Jessica Shepard added 12 points, Nikolina Milic added 11 points and Aerial Powers had 10 points and seven assists.
Minnesota, which has lost four straight, outshot Seattle 51.5% to 38.4 but turned it over 15 times.
MYSTICS 83, MERCURY 65
WASHINGTON — Rookie Shakira Austin had 16 points and 10 rebounds for her second double-double, Ariel Atkins added 13 points and the Mystics beat the Mercury.
Washington was coming off a 99-90 overtime loss against Phoenix on Sunday. This time the Mystics sealed it by ending the game on a 9-0 run as the Mercury went scoreless over the final 4:15.
Alysha Clark added 11 points and Elizabeth Williams scored 10 for Washington (10-6). Elena Delle Donne, who missed the past two games due to back issues, scored all seven of her points in the first half.
Diamond DeShields had 21 points and eight rebounds and Tina Charles added 19 points for Phoenix (5-9), which had its three-game winning streak snapped.
