LAS VEGAS (AP) - Liz Cambage had 14 points and 13 rebounds, A’ja Wilson added 12 points, eight boards and three blocks, and the Las Vegas Aces used a closing 7-1 run to beat the short-handed Seattle Storm 60-56 on Tuesday night.
Seattle’s second-leading scorer Jewell Loyd injured her right ankle early in the first quarter trying to finish a fast-break layup. She remained on the floor for several minutes before slowly walking to the locker room with the help of two others. She later appeared on the bench with crutches.
Wilson gave Las Vegas a 57-55 lead by converting a contested layup and she was fouled after grabbing a rebound on the other end. She made 1 of 2 free throws with 19 seconds left and blocked Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis’ 3-pointer to seal it.
Kayla McBride added 12 points for Las Vegas (6-4), which shot just 31%, including 3 of 17 from 3-point range.
Natasha Howard finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds for Seattle (7-5) after playing just 12 minutes in the first half due to foul trouble. Loyd had totaled 44 points in her previous last two games. The Storm are already missing reigning MVP Breanna Stewart and all-time assist leader Sue Bird to injuries. They did get back Jordin Canada, who had been sidelined for a few games with a bone bruise.
LYNX 78, FEVER 74
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Odyssey Sims scored 25 points, including two free throws with 29.1 seconds left, and Minnesota held off Indiana despite blowing a 22-point lead.
Minnesota was ahead 43-23 at halftime until Indiana scored 24 of the next 30 points to tie it at 60. Kelsey Mitchell sank a fade-away 3-pointer with 6:07 remaining in the fourth quarter for the Fever’s first lead, 63-61, since a 5-4 advantage.
But Indiana did not score again until the 1:58 mark as Minnesota had 10 straight points, capped by Damiris Dantas’ 3-pointer, to rebuild its lead to 71-63. The Fever did not get closer than three points the rest of the way.
Napheesa Collier added 16 points and Sylvia Fowles had nine points and 11 rebounds for Minnesota (6-5). Sims also had seven rebounds, seven assists and five steals.
Mitchell scored 17 points and Erica Wheeler added 13 for Indiana (5-7), which would have set a team record for largest comeback with a victory.
Indiana was coming off a three-game road swing, ending with travel woes returning home. Mechanical issues with a plane in Seattle forced Indiana to miss its connecting flight in Atlanta and after alternative travel options were exhausted, the 18-member traveling party embarked on an 8 ½-hour bus trip from Georgia to Indiana. The Fever begin a three-game road swing on Friday at Phoenix.
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