Minnesota Lynx hold Indiana Fever to season-low points total in blowout win: Highlights - USA Today
The Minnesota Lynx’s matchup against the Indiana Fever on Thursday didn’t have any playoff ramifications for the team.
The Lynx had already clinched the No. 1 overall seed and homecourt advantage days earlier. But Thursday was a get-right game for Minnesota after its 96-77 loss to the Fever on Tuesday. And on Thursday, the Lynx delivered an 86-66 blowout win over the Fever in their regular-season finale, holding Indiana to a season-low score.
As Kayla McBride put it, the Lynx got “our swag back.”
“We had to come out here, protect our home court (in) the last regular season game,” added McBride, who finished with a game-high 22 points (six made 3-pointers), three assists and two rebounds in 22 minutes. “The last couple games, I've just been a little hesitant and I can't play like that.”
The Fever could have secured the No. 5 seed with a win, but dropped to the No. 6 seed with the loss. To add insult to injury, Aliyah Boston (right lower leg) and Ty Harris (left ankle) both made early exits with injuries that could have playoff implications with the postseason tipping off on Sunday.
One highlight for the Fever: Kelsey Mitchell made two 3-pointers to set the WNBA single-season record for the most made 3-pointers. Mitchell finished with 10 points (3-of-12 FG, 2-of-6 3PT) in 22 minutes, while Caitlin Clark added four rebounds, three assists and two points (1-of-12 FG, 0-of-7 3PT) in 18 minutes.
It is the final day of the WNBA regular season, and we still have a lot to sort out. The top eight teams – the Minnesota Lynx, Golden State Valkyries, Las Vegas Aces, Atlanta Dream, Indiana Fever, New York Liberty, Washington Mystics and Dallas Wings – are locked into the postseason. But with five games to be played on Thursday, Sept. 24, four seeds are up for grabs.
With so much at stake, USA TODAY is providing a live look at each team's seeding scenario as games unfold Thursday. Follow along here.
The Indiana Fever are appearing to wave the white flag. After Aliyah Boston and Ty Harris both suffered injuries in the matchup, Fever head coach Stephanie White took out her remaining starters in the third quarter as their deficit ballooned to as many as 36 points.
Kelsey Mitchell has a team-high 10 points in 22 minutes for the Fever, while Caitlin Clark has two points in 18 minutes. Aliyah Boston’s night ended in the first half with four points.
Minnesota’s Kayla McBride has a game-high 22 points, with six made 3-pointers. Natasha Howard added 21 points and eight rebounds in 21 minutes.
The injury bug didn't stop for the Indiana Fever on Thursday. Fever reserve guard Ty Harris went down holding her lower left leg after taking an awkward fall with 3:28 remaining in the third quarter, as the Fever trailed the Lynx, 74-38. Harris, who had four points in 11 minutes off the bench, couldn't put any weight on the leg and was carries off the court at Target Center as the crowd cheered. Harris is averaging 4.1 points per game this season.
The Fever entered the third quarter without All-Star Aliyah Boston, all while facing their largest halftime deficit of the season against the Lynx on Thursday. Boston was ruled out of the game with a lower right leg injury. Boston exited the game with 2:58 remaining in the second quarter after teammate Myisha Hines-Allen appeared to back into Boston’s right leg while fighting for a rebound attempt.
Boston's night ended with four points (2-of-5 FG, 0-of-2) scored across in 13 minutes.
Kayla McBride had zero points in the Lynx's 96-77 loss to the Indiana Fever on Tuesday. But on Thursday, McBride said she got her "swag back" with a 19-point performance in the first half alone.
"Everybody saw we got benched in the second quarter. No. 1 team, whatever. Nobody cares about that," McBride said at halftime. "So we had to come out here, protect our home court the last regular-season game and get our swag back. I thought we did that the first half."
The Lynx jumped to a 62-32 lead over the Fever at Target Center on Thursday, behind an efficient shooting night from McBride. She's shooting 7-of-11 from the field and 5-of-8 from the 3-point line. Natasha Howard added 15 points and six rebounds. Courtney Williams is closing in on a double-double with nine points and nine assists.
The Lynx, who are shooting 65% from the field and 11-of-18 from the 3-point line, look so dominant that Olivia Miles feels like a “proud mom” on the sidelines.
"They're doing so well. I'm so proud of my girls," said Miles, who is out with calf soreness. "I'm a proud mom over here and I'm the youngest one. So it's crazy, but I'm just so proud of them. I see the work they do every single day. I love them so much, so I'm happy that we're sticking to the game plan and playing well."
Mitchell is the only Fever player in double-digits with 10 points. Caitlin Clark is struggling to find her offensive rhythm with two points (1-of-8 FG, 0-of-4 3PT). The Fever are shooting 32% from the field and 3-of-21 from the 3-point line. The Fever's 30-point halftime deficit marks the largest of the season.
Kelsey Mitchell is collecting WNBA records like Infinity Stones.
Mitchell knocked down two 3-pointers in the Indiana Fever's regular-season finale against the Minnesota Lynx on Thursday, Sept. 24, bringing her season total to 135 made 3-pointers, a new WNBA single-season record.
Atlanta Dream star Rhyne Howard previously broke the record on Sept. 17, surpassing New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu's mark of 128 made 3-pointers in 36 games in 2023. Howard improved her total to 134 made 3-pointers across 43 games, but Mitchell quickly topped Howard's mark to claim the record for herself.
Minnesota's Natasha Howard was attempting to box out Indiana’s Monique Billings at the free throw line with 9:20 remaining in the second quarter when Howard’s left arm caught Billings in the face. The play was reviewed for a hostile act but officials determined no additional penalties would be assessed on the play. The contact remained a common foul.
The Minnesota Lynx are flipping the script on the Indiana Fever. Unlike Tuesday’s matchup, where the Fever got off to a fast start, the Lynx went on an 18-0 run in the first quarter to build a 32-13 lead over the Fever.
All eight players that have touched the floor for Minnesota have scored. Kayla McBride leads the ways with seven points, while Napheesa Collier recorded six points. Aari McDonald added five points off the bench and Courtney Williams is up to four rebounds and four assists with two points.
The Lynx are shooting 71% from the field and 6-of-9 from the 3-point line. Minnesota has 10 assists on 12 field goals in the frame. On the other hand, the Fever are shooting 21.7% from the field and 1-of-13 from 3.
Kelsey Mitchell leads the Fever with four points, shooting 1-of-5 from the field and 0-of-2 from 3. Caitlin Clark has two points (1-of-5 FG, 0-of-2 3PT) and one assist. Five Fever turnovers have led to 11 Lynx points.
It’s raining 3-pointers in Minneapolis. The Lynx opened Thursday’s matchup shooting 6-of-9 from the 3-point line. Five different Lynx players have made a shot from beyond the arc, including Napheesa Collier, who is 2-of-2 from deep. In comparison, the Fever are 1-of-12 from 3.
We're underway at Target Center in Minneapolis. Indiana won the tip, but the first points of the game didn't come until the 8:42 mark when Minnesota's Maya Caldwell opened the scoring with a 3-pointer.
The Fever and Lynx play at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Sept. 24, at Target Center in Minneapolis.
Minnesota Lynx rookie Olivia Miles has been ruled out of the Lynx's last regular-season game against Indiana, marking her second consecutive absence due to a left calf injury.
Miles has played 40 games for Minnesota this year, starting all of her matchups that she took the floor. She is averaging 19.8 points on 49.2% shooting, six assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals.
Caitlin Clark (back) has been upgraded to available for Thursday's matchup against the Lynx.
Fever guard Caitlin Clark was spotted dancing ahead of the Fever's matchup against the Lynx on Thursday.
The Fever have touched down in Minneapolis.
The Minnesota Lynx officially stand atop the WNBA playoff seeding.
Minnesota locked in the No. 1 overall seed in the postseason after the Golden State Valkyries lost, 90-82, to the Portland Fire in overtime on Tuesday, Sept. 22. The Indiana Fever delayed the Lynx clinching by beating them, 96-77, in a game in which Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve benched her starters in the second quarter and never brought them back. Rookie guard Olivia Miles did not play for the Lynx because of calf tightness. Details here.
The hallmark of WNBA teams coached by the Indiana Fever's Stephanie White has traditionally been defense. After all, White led the Connecticut Sun to the best defensive rating and lowest points allowed in 2023 and 2024.
It's clear some of that is rubbing off on Fever All-Star Caitlin Clark, whose defense was a big part of their 96-77 victory over the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday, Sept. 22. Yes, Clark scored a team-best 27 points to lead the Fever, but she also had seven rebounds, nine assists and four steals. Read Heather Burns' full story here.
The Minnesota Lynx are the WNBA's top-seeded team going into the playoffs, but their defense seems to be faltering at the worst time. The Lynx lost to the Indiana Fever, 96-77, on Tuesday, Sept 22. Rookie of the Year front-runner and floor general Olivia Miles missed the game with a left calf injury. Some dropoff without Miles was to be expected. A meltdown was not. Read Meghan L. Hall's full story here.
Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2026 WNBA Draft, became the all-time rookie scoring leader in the Lynx's 101-89 victory over Connecticut Sun on Sunday, Sept. 20, surpassing Caitlin Clark's previous mark of 769 points across 40 games in 2024 after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever.
"It wouldn't be possible without, one, a coach who believes in you and teammates, who have me back on everything," Miles said. "It's really special, to obviously, be able to accomplish that with such a great team and to do it on a win as well." Read full story here.
Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell continued her stellar 2026 WNBA season on Friday, Sept. 18 by claiming another record that was previously held by Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson. During a 103-85 road win against the Toronto Tempo, Mitchell broke the WNBA single-season scoring record (1,021 points in 38 games) set by Wilson in 2024.
The record-breaking point came with 7:57 remaining in the third quarter as Mitchell effortlessly connected on a 24-foot 3-point jumper assisted by teammate Caitlin Clark. Mitchell finished with 33 points on 70.6 percent shooting from the field with seven made 3-pointers.
The Minnesota Lynx and Indiana Fever close out the regular season with the second half of a home-and-home series on Thursday, Sept. 24, at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
The Fever beat the Lynx, 96-77, on Sept. 22 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Lynx later secured the No. 1 seed in the playoffs when the Golden State Valkyries lost to the Portland Fire in overtime.
There are still playoff implications at stake on Thursday. The Fever can lock in the No. 5 seed in the postseason with a victory. That would mean a matchup with the Atlanta Dream, who earned the No. 4 seed − and homecourt − with a win over the New York Liberty on Sept. 23.
Rookie of the Year candidate Olivia Miles, the Lynx point guard, has already been ruled out of the contest with a left calf injury. Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride are averaging 17.5 points each for Minnesota.
The Fever continue to count on their Big 3 of Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, who is averaging a team-best 25 points.
The teams have split their previous two matchups, so Thursday will decide the season series.
*Fever center Damiris Dantas was ruled out the remainder of the season after undergoing knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus in her left knee on Aug. 3.
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