MINNEAPOLIS — Kahleah Copper had 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists, Alanna Smith scored 15 points and the Chicago Sky used a big second quarter to beat the Minnesota Lynx 77-66 on Friday night in a WNBA opener.
Chicago pulled away in the second quarter after outscoring Minnesota 22-3 for a 44-27 lead at the break. The Lynx shot just 1 for 15 from the floor in the period and turned it over 11 times, leading to 13 Chicago points.
Chicago held a double-digit lead for the first 18 minutes of the second half until Kayla McBride made it 75-66 with 1:03 left in the fourth. Smith answered with two free throws to help seal it.
Elizabeth Williams added 14 points and Rebekah Gardner had 10 for Chicago. The Sky scored 17 points off 20 Minnesota turnovers.
Napheesa Collier, who missed most of last season while on maternity leave, led Minnesota with 17 points and McBride added 12. Diamond Miller, the No. 2 pick out of Maryland, had nine points and seven rebounds in 23 minutes.
Chicago also beat Minnesota in a preseason game on Saturday behind 18 points from Copper in the WNBA’s first visit to Canada.
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