Olivia Miles breaks WNBA rookie scoring record

WNBA player Olivia Miles broke the rookie scoring record as the league-leading Minnesota Lynx held off the Connecticut Sun 101-89 on Sept 20 in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Miles, the WNBA Rookie of the Year frontrunner, poured in 21 points and set the record for the most points in a rookie season at 790. She entered the day tied with Caitlin Clark’s record from two years ago (769).

Napheesa Collier scored 23 points, Natasha Howard added a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds while Kayla McBride finished with 14 points. Courtney Williams scored 11 points as the Lynx (32-10) snapped a three-game losing streak.

Connecticut made a season-high 15 three-pointers on 28 attempts, including three apiece from Diamond Miller and Leila Lacan. Both players finished with 15 points but could not help the Sun (10-32) avoid a fifth consecutive loss.

Gianna Kneepkens (15), Aaliyah Edwards (12), Raegan Beers (11) and Charlisse Leger-Walker (10) also reached double figures.

Minnesota held a 55-43 half-time lead and opened the second half on a 6-0 run.

But the Sun hung around and trailed 69-61 with three minutes to go in the third after Beers scored off a putback and made a free throw.

Minnesota took a 76-67 lead into the fourth and held on from there as it won its 18th road game of the season.

The teams split their first two meetings, with both outcomes decided by six points or fewer.

Collier, who scored 19 of her points in the first half, scored the first four of the game to spark an 11-2 run to open the game. Courtney Williams drilled a three-pointer for a nine-point advantage with 6½ minutes to go, forcing the Sun to call a timeout.

Minnesota soon took its first double-digit lead of the day on Collier’s three-point play that made it 16-6 with five minutes still to play in the first. Minnesota led 27-12 at the end of the first.

Miles set the scoring record with 9min 13sec left in the half, hitting two free throws to extend the Lynx’s advantage to 29-15.

The Lynx led 37-17 with 7:55 left in the half after Maya Caldwell’s jumper, but back-to-back treys from Miller and Nell Angloma cut the Sun’s deficit to 39-26 with just under six minutes to go.

Connecticut got as close as 49-41 with 43 seconds to go on a long-distance shot from Kneepkens. REUTERS