Collier scores 20 points, Lynx hold on to beat Sky 83-81
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) —Napheesa Collier scored 10 of her 20 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 10 rebounds and the Minnesota Lynx held on to beat the Chicago Sky 83-81 on Thursday night.
Damiris Dantas added 14 points, Rachel Banham scored 13 and Sylvia Fowles had 10 points and seven rebounds for Minnesota (2-1).
Azura Stevens had 16 points and 11 rebounds and Cheyenne Parker added 16 points and 10 boards for the Sky (2-1).
Crystal Dangerfield made two free throws to give the Lynx a 12-point lead with 3:26 to play, but Parker hit a 3-pointer eight seconds later to spark a 10-3 run that trimmed Chicago’s deficit to 79-74 when Stevens made a 3 with 1:41 to go.
Collier answered with a layup, but Courtney Vandersloot made a layup and then Diamond DeShields had a steal and a layup to make it a three-point game with 53.6 seconds left.
After two free throws by Collier, Allie Quigley’s 3-pointer capped the scoring with 38.2 remaining.
Vandersloot missed two potential tying layups in the final seven seconds and Gabby Williams couldn’t convert an alley-oop at the buzzer.
