Shepard’s triple-double leads Lynx to 95-90 win over Fever

By Canadian Press on August 22, 2025.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kayla McBride scored 29 points, Jessica Shepard got the second triple-double in franchise history, and the Minnesota Lynx beat the Indiana Fever 95-90 on Friday night.

The Lynx (29-7) snapped a two-game losing streak and are 7-3 in their last 10 games.

Shepard finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists on 10-for-11 shooting while playing all 40 minutes. She joined Moriah Jefferson as the only Lynx players to record triple-doubles in franchise history.

She completed her triple in just 21:57 of action, the fastest in WNBA history. Previously, the record was set by Seattle’s Skylar Diggins on July 28, at 22:51 of play.

McBride added five assists, and was 10 for 19 from the field. Natisha Hiedeman had 17 points in 26 minutes off the bench.

Kelsey Mitchell scored 27 points to lead Indiana (19-17), and Lexie Hull had a career-high 23.

Shepard had a double-double at the half with 11 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds. Minnesota took the lead for good off Shepard’s driving layup early in the third quarter, and outscored the Fever 32-17 in the period.

With four minutes remaining in the game, Indiana went on a 10-4 run, but their comeback came up just short.

Shey Peddy started off her Fever career with three straight 3-pointers after joining the team on a seven-day hardship contract on Wednesday. She finished with 10 points in 16 minutes.

Caitlin Clark missed her 14th straight game with a right groin injury.

STORM 95, WINGS 60

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Rookie Dominique Malonga had 22 points and nine rebounds, Erica Wheeler added 17 points and Seattle routed Dallas.

It was Malonga’s fourth game of at least 15 points and five rebounds off the bench, the most by a WNBA reserve this season.

Tiffany Mitchell added 11 points off the bench for Seattle (19-18). Ezi Magbegor grabbed her 1,200th career rebound, the fourth most in franchise history. Nneka Ogwumike made two steals in the first half for her 200th career multi-steal game, the fourth most in WNBA history behind Tamika Catchings, Ticha Penicheiro and Sue Bird.

Maddy Siegrist led Dallas (9-28) with 12 points. Paige Bueckers scored eight of Dallas’ first 12 points but finished with just 11 — all in the first half.

MERCURY 81, VALKYRIES 72

PHOENIX (AP) — Alyssa Thomas had 13 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high-tying 16 assists for her 17th career triple-double, and Phoenix beat Golden State.

Thomas secured her sixth triple-double of the season on a rebound with 8:59 remaining in the fourth quarter, and she assisted on Monique Akoa Makani’s 3-pointer at the other end for a 71-56 lead. Thomas tied her 2023 record for the most triple-doubles by a WNBA player during a single season.

Akoa Makani had a team-high 18 points with four 3-pointers for Phoenix (22-14). DeWanna Bonner also made four of the Mercury’s 14 3s and scored 14 points. The Mercury were coming off an 83-61 loss at Las Vegas on Thursday — its lowest scoring game of the season.

Janelle Salaun led Golden State (18-18) with 15 points and Veronica Burton had 11 points and eight assists. Tiffany Hayes had a violent collision with Kahleah Copper with 7:17 left in the third quarter and did not return.

Salaun scored 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting in the first half, but the rest of her Golden State teammates combined to go 6 for 26 to trail 41-31.

The Associated Press