By: Jennifer Portee
7/14/2026
Kayla McBride and Olivia Miles took over yesterday, and Minnesota needed every bit of it. McBride scored a season-high 37, Miles added a career-high 33, and the Lynx held off the Mercury 104-100 for their third straight win.
This one had a little of everything. It was back and forth all night, with 23 lead changes and 13 ties, and neither team ever really got comfortable. Phoenix kept hanging around, Minnesota kept answering, and the game stayed tight deep into the fourth.
That’s when McBride and Miles settled it. McBride buried her sixth 3-pointer to put the Lynx up 101-98 with 45.1 seconds left. Then Miles drove, drew attention, and found Natasha Howard for a layup that made it 103-100. Courtney Williams came up with a steal on the other end, and Miles knocked down one of two free throws to push it to four.
Minnesota didn’t just win because the shots were falling. The Lynx were clean at the line, hitting 24 of 26 free throws, and they looked calm in the moments where Phoenix was trying to speed them up. Miles also had eight assists, and the rookie reached 400 points, 100 rebounds and 100 assists in just 22 games the fastest in WNBA history to get there.
McBride finished one point shy of her career high from 2018. She looked like she knew exactly when to take over and when to let the game come to her. That’s usually the difference in nights like this.
Phoenix got strong work from Kahleah Copper, who scored 26, and Alyssa Thomas, who finished with 19 points, eight rebounds and 12 assists. But the Mercury couldn’t quite get the final stop when they needed it.
Minnesota is back home Wednesday against Los Angeles. Phoenix hosts Connecticut on Friday and again on Sunday.