Breanna Stewart's double-double not enough as Liberty fall to hot-shooting Lynx

MINNEAPOLIS — Breanna Stewart’s 20 points and 12 rebounds were not enough as the Liberty were defeated by the Minnesota Lynx, 84-67, on Saturday and dropped its second game in row.

The Liberty (4-2) finished 7-for-29 behind the arc and only scored nine points in the fourth. Sabrina Ionescu added 13 points and Courtney Vandersloot had 12 but the other two starters — Jonquel Jones and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton — both had four. Leonie Fiebich had 11 points off the bench, going 3-for-5 behind the arc.

Napheesa Collier had 15 points and 12 rebounds and the Lynx hit 14 three-pointers.

The Lynx used three treys in an 11-0 run to pull away from a tie late in the third quarter. A 6-2 outburst to start the fourth gave them a double-digit lead the rest of the way.

Alanna Smith also had 15 points for Minnesota (3-1). Kayla McBride hit four treys and scored 14 points, with two of the threes coming quickly after the Liberty tied the score at 55 late in the third. The Lynx were 14-for-28 from three.

Bridget Carleton, who started in place of Diamond Miller, also scored 14 points. Minnesota announced Friday that Miller was out indefinitely with a knee injury.

Minnesota raced to a 31-17 lead after the first hitting 7 of 11 threes; two by Cecilia Zandalasini in just three minutes off the bench.

Smith hit a three to push Minnesota’s lead to 38-17 lead before Stewart’s basket in the lane at 5:58 ended a field goal drought of almost 7 1⁄2 minutes for the Liberty, who got within 44-40 at halftime.

Baskets by Ionescu pulled the Liberty into ties at 52 and 55 but then Courtney Williams hit a layup followed by McBride’s two three-pointers and one from Smith for a 66-55 Lynx lead.

Fiebich made a late three for the Liberty to make it 66-58 heading into the fourth quarter.