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    • Minnesota Lynx defeats Connecticut Sun in Game 3 of the WNBA playoff series
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    Minnesota Lynx defeats Connecticut Sun in Game 3 of the WNBA playoff series

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    Napheesa Collier collected 26 points and 11 rebounds as the Minnesota Lynx cruised to a 90-81 victory over the Connecticut Sun in Game 3 of a WNBA semifinal series on Friday night in Uncasville, Conn.

    With the win, Minnesota took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five set and will have a chance to punch a ticket to the WNBA Finals when the teams meet again on Sunday in Uncasville for Game 4.

    Collier went 11-for-19 from the field and was one of many beneficiaries of a fluid Lynx offense that tallied 22 assists. Courtney Williams scored 16 points and eight of those were helpers, while Kayla McBride finished with 13 points and Bridget Carleton scored 12 points.

    All five of Connecticut’s starters scored in double figures, with Brionna Jones (21 points) leading the way. DeWanna Bonner contributed 16 points, and Marina Mabrey scored 14 points but hit just 1 of 11 triples. Triple-double threat Alyssa Thomas added 13 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

    Minnesota beat the Sun 57.4 percent to 41.1 percent overall.

    Mabrey finally got going in the third quarter for Connecticut, scoring seven points in the first 4:16 of the frame. Her three-point play cut the Sun’s deficit to 54-47, but she immediately gave those points back, fouling Carleton on a three-point attempt.

    Carleton’s perfect trip to the free-throw line made it a 10-point game, and Minnesota led by at least eight for the rest of the third before taking a 68-54 cushion into the fourth.

    Bonner converted an and-one with 1:20 left in the game to cut the hosts’ deficit to 86-79. However, Williams and Carleton quickly answered with jumpers to put the game out of reach.

    Collier knocked down four of five shots in the first quarter and posted eight points to lift Minnesota to a 23-16 lead after 10 minutes of action.

    Connecticut quickly fell into a nine-point hole, but used a 6-0 spurt to get within 26-23 with 7:37 left in the second quarter.

    However, the rest of the first half belonged to the Lynx. They went up by as many as 14 at 46-32, when Alanna Smith split a pair of free throws with 1:56 left to cap a game-changing 20-9 run. Minnesota settled for a 48-36 lead at halftime.

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