Napheesa Collier scores 42 points and ties record, Lynx sweeps Mercury off the court

MINNEAPOLIS – Napheesa Collier scored 42 points, tying the WNBA record for a playoff game, and the Minnesota Lynx defeated the Phoenix Mercury 101-88 on Wednesday night.

Collier tied Breanna Stewart and Angel McCoughtry for the record 42 points when she made one of two free throws with 3:18 left in the fourth quarter. It was one of just two missed shots from the free throw line in 14 attempts for Collier, who was substituted with 58.3 seconds left.

Collier, who scored a career-high 38 points in Game 1, became the first player in WNBA history to score 38 or more points in two consecutive playoff games. She also set a WNBA record for most points (80) in a two-game playoff period. Collier scored 38 points in Game 2 with 5:55 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Minnesota will play on Sunday against Connecticut, which advanced to the semifinals for the sixth consecutive year after an 87-81 win over Indiana on Wednesday morning.

Kayla McBride added 15 points and Bridget Carleton and Alanna Smith each scored 12 points for Minnesota. Courtney Williams had 11 points.

Brittney Griner scored 24 points for Phoenix and Diana Taurasi finished with 10 before being fouled out with 2:34 left. Taurasi left the game to a standing ovation from the Minnesota crowd before Collier came to the Mercury bench to briefly shake the hand of her former UConn star colleague.

Taurasi has not announced if this is her final year in the WNBA, but the Mercury honored her at their final home game of the regular season.

Collier scored 11 of Minnesota's 21 points in the first quarter after making five of six shots. Collier finished the half with 23 points on 8 of 12 shooting to help Minnesota take a 49-47 lead into halftime. The rest of her teammates combined to make 10 of 26 shots.

The referees reviewed a physical play in the third quarter involving Carleton and Phoenix guard Sophie Cunningham, who received a Class 1 intentional foul after the review. Williams was also assessed a technical foul. After everything was cleared up, McBride sank a completely open 3-pointer that gave Minnesota a 58-53 lead.

Williams gave Minnesota its first double-digit lead of the second half, 72-60, with 2:17 left in the third quarter. The Lynx led by double digits throughout the fourth quarter.

Minnesota improved its record against the Mercury to 5-1 this season.

For Collier, it was her third consecutive playoff game with 30 points, tying her with A'ja Wilson, who scored 31 points in a Game 3 loss to Connecticut last season, which is the longest winning streak in WNBA history.