CHICAGO — The Minnesota Lynx defeated the Chicago Sky 79-58 on Friday night in Chicago, powered by Nia Coffey’s 20 points and six 3-pointers. Coffey shot 6 of 9 from behind the arc and also grabbed eight rebounds in the victory.
Rookie Olivia Miles contributed 17 points, six rebounds, and six assists for Minnesota. Natasha Howard added 14 points, including the first six of the third quarter, while Courtney Williams scored 10. The Lynx outscored the Sky 31-16 in the third quarter to take a 64-46 lead, turning a narrow halftime advantage into a decisive margin.
Minnesota led just 33-30 at halftime despite shooting 35% from the field and making only 2 of 14 3-pointers in the first half. Coffey made back-to-back 3-pointers during a 12-0 run that gave the Lynx a 45-30 lead early in the third quarter. Miles scored eight points in the third, with six coming from the free-throw line.
Kayla McBride struggled offensively, missing her first six 3-point attempts and finishing with nine points on 3-of-13 shooting. For Chicago, Kamilla Cardoso recorded a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds, while Skylar Diggins added 12 points. The Sky scored only 12 points in the first quarter and fell to 3-5 overall, remaining winless in four home games this season.
The victory improved Minnesota’s record to 6-2 overall and 4-0 on the road. Coffey’s 20 points marked her highest total since scoring 23 against Seattle on May 27, 2018. The Lynx are scheduled to play at Phoenix on Monday night, while Chicago will travel to face Washington on Tuesday night.
Minnesota’s third-quarter surge included 12 unanswered points, during which Coffey hit consecutive 3-pointers to extend the lead to 15 points. The Lynx held Chicago to 16 points in the third quarter while shooting efficiently to build a 64-46 advantage entering the final period.