UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Emma Meesseman scored 20 of her 26 points in the first half, Candace Parker added 18 points and the Chicago Sky beat the Connecticut Sun 83-79 on Friday night in a rematch of the WNBA Finals.
Parker made two free throws with 28.4 seconds left for an 80-79 lead. After a timeout, Courtney Williams missed a shot in the lane and Parker was fouled again before making two free throws for a three-point lead with 12.9 left. Rebekah Gardner, a 31-year-old rookie, stole a pass under the basket and added another free throw to seal it.
Gardner finished with 14 points for Chicago (8-4). Courtney Vandersloot had eight points and eight assists, and Allie Quigley moved into 17th place in WNBA history for made 3-pointers.
Meesseman, averaging 10.9 points, scored 20 in the first half on 9-of-10 shooting. Her three-point play capped the first-half scoring to give Chicago a 45-44 lead.
Brionna Jones scored 20 points and DeWanna Bonner added 18 for Connecticut (10-4), which had its four-game winning streak snapped. Alyssa Thomas had 11 points and eight assists.
Bonner made her first 3-pointer of the game to pull Connecticut within 78-77 and she made a jumper on the next possession for a one-point lead.
Hines-Allen scores season-high 17, Mystics beat Lynx
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Myisha Hines-Allen scored a season-high 17 points, Ariel Atkins added 12 points and the Washington Mystics beat the Minnesota Lynx 76-59 on Friday night.
Elizabeth Williams added 11 points and Shakira Austin grabbed 13 rebounds for Washington (9-5). Elena Delle Donne, who left a game on Wednesday with back pain in the first half, did not play.
Hines-Allen, who entered averaging 6.2 points per game, was 6 of 8 from the field with three 3-pointers.
Aerial Powers scored 12 points for Minnesota (3-10), which shot just 32.8% from the field and turned it over 17 times. Rachel Banham added 10 points and Jessica Shepard tied her career-high with 15 rebounds.
Minnesota was without center Sylvia Fowles, who is out indefinitely due to a cartilage injury in her right knee. The seven-time All-Star previously announced this will be her final WNBA season. Fowles is averaging 16.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks. She leads the league in field goal percentage (64.1) and rebounds per game.
