SAN FRANCISCO — Natisha Hiedeman matched her career-high with 24 points to lead the Minnesota Lynx to a 78-72 win over the Golden State Valkyries on Saturday night.
The Lynx (33-9), who had already secured the top seed for the playoffs, used a big run to close the third quarter to grab the lead. Veronica Burton converted a three-point play with 45 seconds left go pull the Valkyries within 74-72, but Napheesa Collier followed with a short baseline jumper.
Kayla McBride clinched it with two free throws after a turnover.
Collier finished with 20 points. Minnesota rested Alanna Smith but Jessica Shepard stepped in for the start and had 12 points and 13 rebounds. Courtney Williams added 14 points.
Janelle Salaun, Illana Rupert and Kaila Charles had 15 points and Burton 14 for the Valkyries. Golden State sold out every home game this season and set a WNBA attendance record averaging 18,604.
The Valkyries took a 36-31 halftime lead as Salaum hit a 3 and Charles had a layup in the final minute.
Trailing by six with less than three minutes to go in the third quarter the Lynx went off, starting with a Collier 3-pointer. A flagrant foul was called when Hiedeman was fouled on a 3-pointer. She made all the free throws for the lead and on the ensuing possession Shepard had a putback to make it 55-52. Hiedeman added two more 3-pointers for a 16-0 run and a 61-52 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Golden State is at Seattle on Tuesday when Minnesota is at Indiana.
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