Breanna Stewart had a game-high 34 points and 12 rebounds, and the eighth-seeded New York Liberty rallied after being down at halftime to defeat top-seeded Minnesota 91-75 Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis.
The Liberty lead the series 1-0 with a chance to win the best-of-three series Tuesday night in Brooklyn.
“We were ready to go,” Stewart said after the game. “I think our entire group — we knew what it was going to take. It was loud in here, but we kept our composure.”
Stewart was 11 for 18 from the floor, 10 for 12 from the free throw line and made two 3-pointers. New York shot 13 of 25 from three-point range. Leonie Fiebich made four 3-pointers and had 16 points for the Liberty.
Minnesota is 0-3 all-time in series after losing Game 1 in a best-of-three.
Sunday was supposed to be the coming out party for star rookie Olivia Miles and the Lynx, but Miles was held to 3-of-12 shooting from the floor and 11 points and Lynx forward Napheesa Collier fouled out with 12 points.
Leading by five entering the fourth quarter, Stewart and the Liberty put it away in the fourth with a 17-6 run that included a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer by Stewart from the top of the key.
“I want to will my team to win the game, and do whatever I can offensively and defensively,” Stewart said. “I had that one three at the end where it just feels like everything is going your way.”
Minnesota opened the game scoring the first six points including a pair of buckets by Miles, but the Liberty responded with a 15-0 run to seize control.
New York made its first four threes and led by as many as 10 points early.
The Lynx charged back in the second quarter. Nia Brodie made three 3-pointers in the quarter, including one from the corner to tie the score at 36 with 1:23 left in the half. The Lynx then closed with a flourish. Courtney Williams drained a triple to make it 41-40, then Miles nailed a step-back three with 2.4 seconds left, igniting the crowd.
Minnesota sank six 3-point attempts in the first half. Brodie had four, tying the most for any player in Lynx playoff history in a first half.
–Field Level Media
