Napheesa Collier had 19 points and 12 rebounds Sunday as the visiting Minnesota Lynx beat the Washington Mystics 78-71.
Courtney Williams scored 12 points, while Bridget Carleton, Kayla McBride and Natisha Hiedeman added 10 apiece as Minnesota (26-9) won for the 10th time in its past 11 games.
The Lynx remained three games behind the New York Liberty for the No. 1 playoff seed after New York beat the Las Vegas Aces 75-71 on Sunday.
Brittney Sykes scored 13 points to lead Washington (11-24), which had won five of its previous six. Ariel Atkins scored 12 and Stefanie Dolson finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.
The Mystics fell two games behind the Chicago Sky for the final playoff spot after the Sky beat the Dallas Wings 92-77 on Sunday.
Minnesota went ahead for good on Collier’s three-point play that made it 70-67 with 2:37 left.
Washington failed to get a shot off two possessions later, and Carleton’s midrange jumper gave the Lynx a five-point cushion with 1:25 to play.
The Mystics twice pulled within a possession but got no closer than three points as Williams, McBride and Myisha Hines-Allen each hit a pair of three throws to seal the win.
Minnesota made all 17 of its free-throw attempts, while Washington hit 2 of 3 from the line.
The teams traded points for most of the first half before the Mystics surged in the final three minutes to lead 39-35 at the break.
Dolson broke a 30-30 tie with a 3-pointer, and Atkins followed with a jumper that made it 35-30 with 2:46 left in the half. Sykes and Aaliyah Edwards added buckets after Alanna Smith’s trey for Minnesota to propel Washington up 39-33.
Collier hit two free throws in the final seconds of the first half for the Lynx. Minnesota shot 6-of-6 at the line in the half, while the Mystics missed their lone free throw attempt.
Carleton’s midrange turnaround at the buzzer pulled Minnesota within 52-51 at the end of the third quarter.
Consecutive 3-pointers from Julie Vanloo and Dolson swung Washington back ahead 63-61 at the 5:26 mark of the fourth.
–Field Level Media
