Loyd hits 3 at buzzer, WNBA-leading Storm beat Sparks

BRADENTON, Fla. — Jewell Loyd made a 3-pointer off an inbounds pass with 0.8 seconds left to give the WNBA-leading Seattle Storm a 90-89 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday night.

Chelsea Gray went 1 of 2 from the free-throw line with 20.8 seconds left to give Los Angeles an 87-85 lead. It was just her second miss from the stripe this season in 41 attempts. After a timeout, Breanna Stewart drove the lane and scored on a left-handed layup to tie it.

Riquna Williams was left alone under the basket and was fouled by Stewart before making two free throws with under a second left. Seattle advanced the ball to mid-court and Sue Bird delivered the winning assist to Loyd in the corner.

Loyd finished with 25 points, going 2 of 7 from distance, for Seattle (15-3). Stewart had 20 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. Bird had 10 points and seven assists.

Candace Parker had 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists for Los Angeles (13-5). Nneka Ogwumike did not play and Gray finished with 18 points.

MYSTICS 79, SKY 69

Leilani Mitchell had 20 points and a career-high 12 assists, Myisha Hines-Allen added 19 points and 10 rebounds and Washington snapped a five-game losing streak with a victory over Chicago.

Mitchell had eight assists in the first quarter and 11 by halftime to tie a WNBA record for a half. On Monday, Chicago point guard Courtney Vandersloot set a WNBA record with 18 assists, and she finished with 11 against the Mystics.

Emma Meesseman scored 15 points and Ariel Atkins had 13 for Washington (5-12), which had lost 12 of its last 13 games. Mitchell made four of the Mystics’ 10 3-pointers.

Cheyenne Parker scored 17 points and Vandersloot had 16 points for Chicago (11-8), which clinched a playoff spot on Tuesday when Indiana lost. Allie Quigley was just 4 of 14 from the field for 12 points.

LYNX 88, WINGS 75

Damiris Dantas had 18 points and 13 rebounds, Napheesa Collier added 14 points and 14 rebounds and Minnesota beat Dallas.

Minnesota trailed 49-41 at halftime but pulled away in the third quarter by going on a 22-5 run – with nine points from Bridget Carleton. The Wings only made one field goal through the first six-plus minutes of the third quarter, and finished with 26 second-half points.

Odyssey Sims scored 16 points and rookie Crystal Dangerfield added 15 for Minnesota (13-5). Carleton and Rachel Banham each had 11 points.

Allisha Gray led Dallas (6-12) with a career-high 26 points. Arike Ogunbowale was just 4 of 15 from the field for 14 points, snapping a string of 28 straight games with at least 15 points. Ogunbowale reached the 1,000-point mark in her 51st game.

The Associated Press