Toliver scores 32, Mystics beat Lynx before All-Star break
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kristi Toliver scored 20 of her season-high 32 points in the first half, Elena Delle Donne reached 3,500 career points and the Washington Mystics beat the Minnesota Lynx 79-71 on Wednesday.
Toliver scored 14 points in the first quarter by making her first six shots and topped her previous season high of 19 in the first half to help Washington build a 44-32 lead. Delle Donne became the second-fastest player in league history to reach the career mark behind Diana Taurasi.
Delle Donne, wearing a protective mask after fracturing her nose earlier this month, finished with 11 points as Washington (12-6) won for the third straight time.
Lexie Brown scored 19 points and Sylvia Fowles had 18 points and 12 rebounds for Minnesota (10-10), which has lost three in a row.
Minnesota trailed by as many as 20 points in the second half, but Brown banked in her fifth 3-pointer just before the third-quarter buzzer to cap an 8-0 run, getting the Lynx to within 65-53. The lead remained in double figures until the 2:34 mark.
SUN 70, LIBERTY 63
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Jasmine Thomas had 18 points and seven assists, Courtney Williams added 13 points and eight rebounds and the Connecticut Sun beat the New York Liberty for their fourth straight victory.
Connecticut held New York scoreless for nearly the first five minutes of the second half, and the Liberty finished the quarter with just seven points. It was the fourth straight game Connecticut has held an opponent to under 70 points.
Jonquel Jones added 12 points and 10 rebounds for Connecticut (13-6), which is tied with the Las Vegas Aces for the best record in the WNBA at the All-Star break. The Sun shot just 36% on 27-of-76 shooting.
Tina Charles led New York (8-11) with 13 points and 11 rebounds. She had nine points before halftime and scored her first points of the second half with 5:11 remaining in the fourth.
