Lynx hold off Fever 108-100, rallies surround game after Sophie Cunningham's stance on transgender athletes
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Rookie sensation Olivia Miles spearheaded an efficient offense with 28 points, Courtney Williams added 27 points, and the Minnesota Lynx won their 10th-straight game with a 108-100 win over the Indiana Fever on Sunday.
There was a rally outside the Target Center that pitted those supporting Fever reserve Sophie Cunningham, who told ESPN last week she believed trans athletes should not play against girls, against those who oppose a ban. Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeves wore a shirt that read, “Trans kids belong,” and had a pregame conversation with Cunningham, who was booed during the game.
Minnesota had a 96-82 lead with 6:41 to play before the Fever, who had scored 100 in a record six-straight games, pulled within 100-98 with more than 2 1/2 minutes to go. Miles and Williams both came up with big baskets as the Lynx won their 10th straight for the first time since 2016.
The league’s No. 1 offense definitely made life difficult for the league’s No. 2 defense, but the Fever, who played in Portland on Friday night, couldn’t stop the Lynx on the offensive end. Both teams shot 57 percent with 11 3-pointers and went 11 of 15 from the foul line with a combined 55 assists. The big difference was Indiana had 12 turnovers to six for Minnesota, which had an 11-5 advantage in offensive rebounds.
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Napheesa Collier had 18 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Lynx (25-6). Natasha Howard scored 13 points and Kayla McBride 10.
The Fever (19-11), who had their five-game winning streak halted, were led by Kelsey Mitchell with 37 points, her fifth 30-point game of the season and 14th straight 20-point game, second in league history behind A'ja Wilson's 15-straight in a single season. Caitlin Clark added 19 points and 10 assists and Aliyah Boston had 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
Both teams got off to a blistering start with Minnesota leading 36-32 after one quarter, tying the league record for most points in an opening period. Mitchell had 16 points in the first period, but Miles had 14 in the second and the Lynx led 64-53 at the break.
Fever: Home against Las Vegas on Thursday.
Lynx: Home against Los Angeles on Thursday.
Rallies surround Fever-Lynx game after Sophie Cunningham's stance on transgender athletes
A crowd of critics and supporters of Indiana guard Sophie Cunningham's stance on transgender participation in women’s sports gathered around and inside Target Center on Sunday as the Fever faced the Lynx in Minnesota.
Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve wore a light blue shirt under her jacket that said, “Trans kids belong” as she coached on the bench. There were fans in the stands wearing T-shirts that read, “Trans kids belong in sports.”
It's the third straight Fever game that drew a rally after Cunningham recently voiced support for barring transgender girls and women from girls’ and women’s sports in an ESPN article published last week.
Before the game, Cunningham and Reeve held a conversation at midcourt. Cunningham appeared to be booed by the crowd on her first touch of the game.
Outside the arena, dozens of fans gathered near the entrance. A person using a loud speaker repeated over and over, “Protect trans women.” There were signs held up that read, “Love is truth" and “Thank you Sophie.”
Cunningham said Friday in Portland that she wasn't concerned about rallies against transgender participation in women’s sports becoming a distraction for the Fever.
“I think everyone who knows me personally, they know that I’m full of love. I’m bubbly. I love the people around me,” Cunningham said Friday. “I love basketball. I love inspiring the next generation and doing that in a positive light. And so that doesn’t even cross my mind. Doesn’t cross my teammates’ minds.”
