The Minnesota Lynx were down late. Then Kayla McBride and Olivia Miles decided the night was theirs.
McBride scored 37 points and rookie guard Olivia Miles added a career-high 33 as the Lynx rallied past the Phoenix Mercury 104-100 on Monday for their third straight win. The two combined for 70 points and dragged Minnesota back from a fourth-quarter hole in one of the best offensive nights of the WNBA season.
Kayla McBride and Olivia Miles Combine for 70
McBride's 37 was a season high, one point shy of her career best, and she carried the scoring load when Minnesota needed baskets. Miles matched her step for step, pairing her 33 points with eight assists and running the offense down the stretch. They became the first duo in Lynx history to each score at least 30 points in the same game.
Minnesota outscored Phoenix 35-25 in the fourth quarter to complete the comeback, turning a game that had slipped away into a signature win. As reported by the Associated Press, it was the kind of closing quarter that separates contenders from the pack in a tight standings race.
Olivia Miles' Record-Setting Rookie Night
Miles is not scoring like a typical first-year player. Her 33 points set a franchise rookie record, and she also became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 400 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists, hitting the mark in just 22 games. For a rookie guard, that is a rare blend of scoring and playmaking arriving all at once.
Phoenix had answers for most of the night. Kahleah Copper scored 26 points and Alyssa Thomas posted 19 points, eight rebounds, and 12 assists, but the Mercury could not hold their lead as the Lynx surged. Phoenix fell to 8-17 with the loss.
Lynx Ride a Three-Game Win Streak
The victory pushed Minnesota to three wins in a row and underscored how quickly the Lynx have become dangerous when McBride and Miles are both rolling. The veteran and the rookie complement each other cleanly, one a proven scorer, the other a fast-rising playmaker who can also fill it up.
Minnesota will look to keep the streak alive in its next game, with Miles chasing more rookie milestones and McBride locked in as one of the league's most reliable scorers. Follow the rest of the WNBA season on the BallerTube news index. Full box score and recap are available from ESPN and the Associated Press via MPR News.
