Kayla McBride buried a WNBA-record 10 3-pointers and scored a career-high 43 points on Sunday night, carrying the Minnesota Lynx to a 103-90 win over the Dallas Wings that made Minnesota the first team in the league to clinch a 2026 playoff berth.
McBride went 10 of 14 from behind the arc and 16 of 21 overall at Target Center, breaking a mark that had stood since 2019. The record-setting three fell with 2:23 left in the fourth quarter, and McBride exited the game with 1:21 remaining to a standing ovation from the home crowd.
Breaking a Record Seven Players Had Tied
Kelsey Mitchell became the first player in league history to make nine 3-pointers in a game back in 2019, and that mark had since been matched seven more times, most recently by Toronto's Marina Mabrey on June 25. No one had reached double digits from deep in a single game until McBride did it Sunday, a feat detailed in ESPN's account of the record-breaking night.
The 34-year-old guard, in her 13th WNBA season, shot a perfect 7 of 7 on contested field-goal attempts for 18 points and made 9 of 14 open looks for 25 more, according to ESPN Insights data cited by CBS Sports. Fifteen of her 19 makes on the night came directly off a teammate's pass, including 8 of 9 shooting for 22 points off passes from rookie point guard Olivia Miles.
When you have a good moment, you want to just soak it all in. I'm just very grateful. I'm 34 years old, it's my 13th year in the league. I'm exactly where I want to be. Coming back here in the offseason was the best decision I've ever made. I'm so grateful to the city of Minneapolis for just loving me the way they do.
Kayla McBride, Minnesota Lynx guard
Lynx Clinch First, Keep Rolling
The victory improved Minnesota to 27-7 on the season, made the Lynx the first WNBA team to lock up a playoff spot in 2026, and pushed the club's win streak to 12 out of its last 13 games. Minnesota also set a franchise record with 18 made 3-pointers as a team in the win, detailed further in CBS Sports' full breakdown of the game. The Lynx are on pace to challenge their own franchise record of 34 wins in a season, set a year ago.
McBride credited Miles, the rookie of the year favorite running Minnesota's offense, for setting up much of Sunday's outburst. "It's like a kid in a candy store. I'm very grateful for that," McBride said. "Her ability to get in the paint and her ability in the pick and roll just creates so much for me. These types of moments don't happen without that play. ... It's all about the team."
Miles finished with 20 points and a season-high 13 assists. Napheesa Collier added 17 points, eight rebounds, four steals and a block, and Natasha Howard scored 12 for a Lynx team that has separated itself atop the Western Conference.
Wings Slide as Injuries Mount
Dallas got 23 points and eight assists from Paige Bueckers and a season-high 19 points from Aziaha James, but the Wings (19-13) have now lost three straight and six of their last eight. Guard Odyssey Sims added 17 points and Alanna Smith had 11 points and eight rebounds. All-Star forward Jessica Shepard left the game in the first quarter with an ankle injury and did not return, while No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd missed her second consecutive game with knee soreness.
Both teams are back in action Wednesday. The Wings host Toronto, while the Lynx travel to face the Portland Fire, looking to extend their playoff-clinching momentum as the regular season enters its final stretch with 10 games remaining on Minnesota's schedule.
