Minnesota Lynx center Jessica Shepard drives against Chicago Sky center Kamilla Cardoso during Saturday’s preseason game at Target Center. Photo by Abe Booker III/Sportspage Magazine
MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Lynx defeated the Chicago Sky 92-87 in front of an announced crowd of 7,615 at Target Center in both team’s final matchup before the 2025 regular season begins on Friday.
As is often expected in preseason games, several starters were missing from this contest, while those who are considered “on the bubble” get one final look by the coaching staffs before the final cuts are made this week.
The game opened with Minnesota winning the tipoff. As Lynx center Jessica Shepard launched the game’s first shot, she was blocked by Sky center Kamilla Cardoso. After the rebound by Chicago, Lynx guard Karlie Samuelson fouled Sky forward Angel Reese, who converted one of two free throw attempts, for the game’s first point.
After a missed shot by Minnesota guard Courtney Williams, Chicago guard Rachel Banham scored a layup to give the visiting team a quick 3-0 advantage, but Minnesota finally got on the board when forward Napheesa Collier connected on a jump shot.
After that, it was off to the races. The teams answered each other’s shots in the next few minutes, with Banham and forward Kia Nurse each scoring three-pointers for Chicago, and Shepard, Collier and Samuelson all scoring for Minnesota. It was tied 11-11 with 6:23 remaining in the opening quarter.
Back-to-back three-pointers from Banham and two free throws from Nurse propelled the Sky on an 8-3 run, with a triple by Samuelson being the Lynx only score during the run. With 5:02 left in the opening quarter, Chicago took a 19-14 lead and was shooting 66.7 percent in the game to Minnesota’s 46.2 percent.
Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese slides past the outstretched arms of Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier en route to a layup attempt during Saturday’s preseason game at Target Center. Photo by Abe Booker III/Sportspage Magazine
Sky guard Ariel Atkins connected on a three-pointer to put them up 22-16 before the Lynx charged back. Shepard, guard Natisha Hiedeman and forward Bridget Carleton each scored layups, tying the score 22-22 on the 6-0 run. Then Carleton nailed a three-pointer to take a 25-22 lead with 2:09 left in the opening quarter.
Forward Michaela Onyenwere tied the score 25-25 on a triple with 34 seconds left on the clock, and guard Rebecca Allen scored the go-ahead layup with two seconds left. However, Hiedeman made a three-pointer at the buzzer. It was ruled “no basket” as the officials didn’t think she got the shot off in time, which was later confirmed through replay. Chicago led 27-25 at the end of the first quarter, which featured five ties and eight lead changes.
The teams traded baskets to start the second quarter, neither team able to find separation in the first few minutes of the quarter. Then Lynx forward Diamond Miller hit a three-pointer, then rebounded a missed three point attempt by Banham, and then hit a midrange jump shot for a personal 5-0 run. Minnesota’s Courtney Williams settled into a midrange jumper after an offensive foul by the Sky’s Onyenwere. Lynx forward Marieme Badiane made two three-pointers but fouled Cardoso, who sank two free throws, in between her shots. It capped off a 15-2 Minnesota run, which found them leading 44-33 with 5:06 remaining in the half.
Fatigue became a factor for the Lynx, as the bench players were in since at least the quarter break. Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve attempted to get the starters back in once they got a double-digit lead, but there was no stoppage in play until 1:52 left in the quarter when Chicago called a timeout after Miller fouled Nurse. Both teams substituted at that point. Nurse made both free throws to make the score 46-39 in favor of Minnesota.
An airborne Chicago Sky guard Rebecca Allen shoots over the outstretched arms of Minnesota Lynx forward Diamond Miller during Saturday’s preseason game at Target Center. Photo by Abe Booker III/Sportspage Magazine
Neither team could get the scoring going until Carleton made a floating jump shot with five seconds left on the clock. Sky center Elizabeth Williams heaved up a prayer of a shot at the buzzer and it went in. The officials reviewed the play and confirmed that it was good. Minnesota led 46-42 at halftime.
The third quarter was balanced as both sides traded baskets throughout the frame. Minnesota would go on a small run and it was answered by a run from Chicago. Minnesota led by as many as seven points when Carleton hit a three-pointer with 5:05 remaining in the quarter to put them up 57-50. However, baskets by Allen, Reese, Onyenwere and guard Hailey Van Lith tightened the score to 64-61 in favor of the Lynx with 2:43 left on the clock.
Minnesota pushed the lead back up to seven in the next minute with free throws from Collier and Heideman, but Chicago was able to cut it back down to a three point deficit. Minnesota led 72-69 when the third quarter came to a close.
The Sky took the lead early in the fourth quarter with a hook shot from Elizabeth Williams and a three pointer from Banham. Reese added a layup to extend the Sky lead. It was now 76-73 in favor of the Sky with 7:24 remaining in the contest.
Both teams put their starters back into the game during a stoppage in play at the 6:51 mark, but neither team was able to score for the next 1:25 until Collier made a fadeaway jumper. She converted a free throw after getting fouled by Cardoso, tying the score 76-76.
The game slowed down as each team probed for weaknesses in their opponent. Every shot counted. Cardoso made a layup and was fouled by Shepard for the three-point play. Courtney Williams responded with a midrange jumper. Cardoso hit a short jumper. Collier was fouled by Reese, who picked up her fourth foul. Collier made one of two free throws, and then the Lynx retook the lead with a Collier three pointer. Van Lith answered with a three-pointer to re-take the lead, and then Minnesota took it back again with a Courtney Williams three pointer.
After a timeout from Chicago, Reese was fouled by Carleton, sending her to the line. She converted one of two free throws and the game was tied 85-85 with only 3:08 left in regulation.
Minnesota then finished the game on a 10-3 run with two free throws from Collier, a layup from Shepard and a pull up jump shot from Carleton. When the final buzzer sounded, the Lynx finished on top 92-87.
Minnesota went 33-for-72 (45.8 percent) from the field; 10-for-27 (37.0%) from three-point range; and 16-for-19 (84.2 percent) from the free throw line. They committed 11 turnovers leading to 11 Sky points.
“In different segments of the game, the first group that was out there, first and third, we gave up 27 points in each of those quarters, first and third. We’ve got to solve that,” said Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve.
Chicago went 29-for-68 (42.6 percent) from the field; 12-for-28 (42.9 percent) from three-point range; 17-for-19 (89.5 percent) from the free throw line. They turned the ball over 14 times which led to 19 Lynx points.
“We tried a few things tonight that we weren’t able to do in the first two preseason games,” said Sky head coach Tyler Marsh. “Some players played a little more than I would have liked them to tonight, but we wanted to get a glimpse of what it would look like with different combinations out there. We just rolled with what we felt like was working.”
Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve gives instructions to guard Courtney Williams during Saturday’s preseason game against the Chicago Sky at Target Center. Photo by Abe Booker III/Sportspage Magazine
Minnesota led 30-28 in points-in-the-paint; 12-9 in second chance points and 11-8 in fast break points. There were eight ties and 13 lead changes during the game.
“I don’t know that we could have scripted a better situation for us to be in, that we felt there at the end was Courtney [Williams], B.C. [Carleton] and Phee [Collier], obviously being the three that were part of the group last year, [they] kind of needed to get to that space where it was time for them to win the game,” said Reeve. “Being in those situations I thought was a good point for them, and I don’t think we’ve had that to this point. I thought they really connected. It was really good coming out of there and having that experience. I’m glad they were able to win it.”
The Lynx were led by 26 points from Napheesa Collier, 17 from Courtney Williams, 11 from Bridget Carleton and 10 points from Jessica Shepard. The Lynx were led by Shepard’s eight rebounds and nine assists in those statistical categories, making for a near triple-double in only 23:35 minutes played.
“[Last year] put that chip on our shoulder. I think we know what it takes to get there and lose in the final game, you know, we know what we’ve got to do,” said Courtney Williams. “I think that’s why we bring it every day and we stacking our days and not taking any short cuts, because obviously that’s who we want to be again, and get over the hump this year. [We’re just] keeping that chip on our shoulder.”
Chicago was led by 14 points each from Rachel Banham and Kia Nurse, 13 points from Kamilla Cardoso and 10 points from Angel Reese. Cardoso pulled down nine rebounds and Ariel Atkins dished six assists to lead the Sky in those areas.
Chicago Sky forward Kia Nurse tries to get past Minnesota Lynx forward Marieme Badiane during Saturday’s preseason game at Target Center. Photo by Abe Booker III/Sportspage Magazine
“The physicality is something that we invite. It’s something that we like to use on our side as well, but down that fourth quarter stretch, there was obviously a couple times when they got to the free throw line,” said Nurse. “It was going back and forth, honestly. We hit some threes, and they hit some threes. But as we continue to play with one another and get our end of game execution down pat, knowing what we want to run, what we’re looking for in those sets, we’ll just continue to grow as we got down the stretch knowing where we want to get our shots from.”
This is the final preseason game for both teams before the season opens. The deadline for roster cuts is Thursday before the regular season begins on Friday.
Since the Lynx were in the WNBA Finals last year, Marsh believes that there was plenty of stuff to take away from these two preseason games against them.
“You hope that it helps build confidence in that we can hang with these teams. At the end of the day, everyone is going into next week 0-0, so for use to come out and play three really good preseason games and two against a championship contending team, I think it shows what our potential and our growth can be moving forward,” said Marsh. “You just hope from this, young players to the veteran players, that they have a sense of confidence moving forward.”
The Minnesota Lynx travel to Dallas to take on the Wings at 6:30 p.m. CT on Friday. The Chicago Sky will travel to the Indiana Fever for a 2 p.m. CT on Saturday.
