Collier scores 25 and Carlton hits go-ahead 3 as Lynx edge Sun 78-76 to earn No. 2 seed

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Napheesa Collier delivered a stellar performance with 25 points, setting the stage for Bridget Carleton’s clutch 3-pointer that clinched a thrilling 78-76 victory for the Minnesota Lynx over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday night. With just 3.4 seconds remaining, Carleton’s shot secured the No. 2 seed in the WNBA playoffs for Minnesota.

Finishing the regular season at 30-9, the Lynx will host the seventh-seeded Phoenix on Sunday as the best-of-three playoffs kick off. Meanwhile, Connecticut, currently at 27-12 and in third place, will face Indiana at home on Sunday after a matchup against Chicago on Thursday.

In a tense final minute, both teams struggled to score until Alyssa Thomas hit a jumper near the foul line, giving the Sun a narrow 74-73 lead with 22 seconds left. Collier quickly responded with a fadeaway jumper to reclaim the lead for Minnesota just 10 seconds later.

After a timeout, Connecticut quickly found DeWanna Bonner for a basket with 8.5 seconds remaining. Following another timeout, Collier passed to Carleton, who launched a deep 3-pointer to give the Lynx a decisive edge. The Sun attempted to respond but lost possession when Bonner mishandled the inbounds pass.

Kayla McBride contributed 14 points for the Lynx, while Carleton added 11. Despite previous losses to Connecticut by a total of six points, Minnesota came out on top this time. For the Sun, Thomas led with 18 points and 10 assists, supported by DiJonai Carrington with 15, Marina Mabrey with 13, and Brionna Jones with 10.

The game saw Minnesota holding a 69-62 lead with four minutes to play, but Bonner’s drive and subsequent 3-pointer helped Connecticut surge ahead. Carrington’s three-point play pushed the Sun into a 70-69 lead with just over two minutes remaining. McBride’s buzzer-beater at the end of the first quarter tied the game at 22, and with Collier’s impressive 14 points in the first half, the Lynx led 42-37 at the break. Despite trailing 57-50 late in the third, Connecticut rallied, with Williams making key baskets to push their lead to 12, the largest of the night, as the quarter closed with Minnesota trailing 62-53.