UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Alyssa Thomas had 18 factors, 11 assists and eight rebounds to assist the Connecticut Solar stave off elimination and beat the Minnesota Lynx 92-82 on Sunday, forcing a decisive Recreation 5 of their semifinal sequence.
That recreation can be Tuesday evening in Minnesota. The winner will face the Liberty within the WNBA Finals that begin Thursday in New York. The Lynx and the Liberty already met for a championship this season with Minnesota beating New York for the Commissioner’s Cup title.
Ty Harris scored 20 factors to guide the Solar, who now will attempt to return to the Finals for the third time in six seasons. The Solar nonetheless are in search of the franchise’s first WNBA championship.
Napheesa Collier did what she might to attempt to get Minnesota the win, ending with 29 factors and 13 rebounds.
Minnesota is making an attempt to get again to the Finals for the primary time because the 2017 season. That yr, the Lynx gained their fourth championship in a span of seven years.
Harris, who injured her ankle in Recreation 1 of the primary spherical sequence with Indiana, lastly seemed comfy once more on the courtroom. She solely performed about seven minutes in Video games 2 and three, however was capable of play 30 on Sunday and was a distinction maker.
The Solar rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit behind Thomas and Harris. The sport was tied at 61 earlier than the Solar scored seven of the ultimate 9 factors of the third quarter to go up 68-63 heading into the fourth.
Harris’ 3-pointer with 5:48 left made it a 10-point recreation and quashed any hopes the Lynx had of ending off the sequence Sunday. Minnesota was solely capable of get inside eight the remainder of the way in which.
Collier helped the Lynx construct a seven-point lead after one quarter and Minnesota was up 47-41 when DiJonai Carrington stole the ball from Natisha Hiedeman and took it in for a layup. Hiedeman answered by hitting a 3-pointer from simply inside halfcourt proper earlier than the buzzer to present the Lynx a 50-43 lead on the break. Collier completed the primary half with 14 factors and Hiedeman had 12 in opposition to her former crew.