Lynx spoil Loyd’s 40-point game with 99-97 win over Seattle Storm

SEATTLE (AP) — Napheesa Collier made a go-ahead jumper with 1.8 seconds left in overtime and the Minnesota Lynx beat the Seattle Storm 99-97 on Thursday night to spoil Jewell Loyd’s first career 40-point game.

Minnesota Lynx 99, Seattle Storm 97: Box score

After Collier won a jump ball with 19 seconds left in overtime, rookie Diamond Miller made a layup to tie it at 97-all with 11.2 seconds left.

Minnesota appeared to intentionally foul Loyd — with a foul to give — but the ball bounced off her foot with 7.6 seconds left. Collier faked a handoff to Kayla McBride at the 3-point line and drove the right side of the lane for a step-back shot.

Collier finished with 31 points, eight rebounds, six blocks and five assists. It was her second straight 30-point game after scoring 33 in a 104-93 victory over Seattle on Tuesday.

Napheesa Collier CALLED GAME 🤯

The @minnesotalynx get the 99-97 victory in OT over the Storm behind this game winning bucket by @PHEEsespieces pic.twitter.com/MkWbneu70X

— WNBA (@WNBA) June 30, 2023

McBride and Miller each scored 19 points for Minnesota (6-9). Dorka Juhasz had 11 points and eight rebounds.

Loyd made 15 of 35 field goals and 7 of 8 free throws to finish with 41 points for Seattle (4-11).

Gold Mamba has been gettin' buckets this szn and would go off for a career-high 41 PTS in an OT thriller vs the Lynx ‼️#MoreThanGame pic.twitter.com/0c8E6mbSj0

— WNBA (@WNBA) June 30, 2023

Sami Whitcomb made five 3-pointers and scored 22 points, and Ezi Magbegor had 16 points and 16 rebounds.

Loyd made a contested layup with 21 seconds left in regulation to tie it at 87-all. Collier held the ball near midcourt to wind down the clock before getting into the lane, but Loyd stole it and nearly made a half-court shot at the buzzer.