By Caitlin Nicholson

The Chicago Sky lost a tough home matchup against the Minnesota Lynx 78-91 on Monday, July 14 at Wintrust Arena. Despite a hard-fought battle that featured multiple lead changes and stretches of back-and-forth action, the Sky couldn’t hold on as the Lynx pulled away in the fourth quarter.

Both teams traded baskets throughout the first half, with neither side able to build a comfortable lead. In the first quarter, Minnesota caught fire from deep shooting 6 for 11 from three-point range. Chicago responded in the second quarter with a 13-2 run to take a 37-30 lead, but the Lynx fought back to cut the deficit to just two points at halftime, trailing 46-44.

In the third quarter, the Lynx flipped the script to deliver a 24-17 frame and grab a 68-63 lead heading into the last quarter of the game. Despite a tough fight until the end, fourth quarter turnovers proved to be costly for the Sky as the Lynx capitalized on each one and outscored Chicago 23-15 in the final period. Overall, Minnesota forced 19 turnovers by Chicago, while committing only 12 themselves, leading to a 20-13 advantage in points off turnovers.

Despite needing to take better care of the ball, the Sky matched up with the Lynx in almost every other aspect of the game. The Lynx shot 47 .0% from the field and 38 .0% from deep, while Chicago shot slightly better overall at 48.3 % and 43.8 % from three, showing improvement in their perimeter shooting. Both teams pulled down 34 rebounds each, but Minnesota’s 27 assists compared to Chicago’s 18 highlighted the Lynx’s superior ball movement, which fueled their offensive efficiency.

For the Sky, Angel Reese recorded her ninth consecutive double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Rachel Banham contributed 15 points, connecting on 3 of 8 from beyond the arc. Off the bench, Rebecca Allen pitched in a valuable 10 points, four rebounds, and three assists, while Elizabeth Williams notched seven points and three assists.

Ariel Atkins also played a pivotal role in the Sky’s offense before being sidelined due to injury in the second quarter. She contributed two points, three assists, one steal and one rebound in just 15 minutes of play. Fresh off a 27-point game against the Lynx on Saturday, July 12, her injury was a significant blow to the Sky’s offensive capabilities.

For Minnesota, Napheesa Collier led all scorers with 29 points, five assists and three steals. Courtney Williams also made a big impact, contributing 18 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals. In addition, Kayla McBride added 17 points, five rebounds and four assists, while Bridget Carleton added 11 points, five rebounds, and three steals.

While Chicago showed resilience and growth, especially in perimeter shooting and rebounding, minimizing turnovers will be key to competing against a tough Atlanta Dream squad on Wednesday, July 16. With Angel Reese continuing her impressive double-double streak and the hopeful return of Ariel Atkins, Chicago has the talent and depth to bounce back and finish out on a win before the all-star break.