Bridget Carleton sank two free throws with just two seconds remaining, propelling the Minnesota Lynx to a thrilling 82-80 victory over the New York Liberty on Friday night. This win forces a decisive Game 5 in the WNBA finals, setting the stage for an intense showdown on Sunday night in New York. This will be the first Game 5 in the finals since 2019, when Washington emerged victorious against Connecticut.

"The last 40 minutes of the season could be anywhere, we’re going to be out there going to war and I’m pumped," said Kayla McBride, who led the Lynx with 19 points. Courtney Williams contributed 15 points for Minnesota, effectively limiting the scoring prowess of Liberty stars Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu. Ionescu’s last-second attempt at the buzzer missed the rim entirely.

"I think we’re excited," Napheesa Collier remarked. "It’s a Game 5 of the finals. We have to go out and execute."

Unlike the first three games of the series, where one team consistently built a double-digit lead, this game remained closely contested throughout. There were 14 lead changes and 13 ties, with neither team managing to lead by more than six points.

With the score tied at 80-all with 18 seconds left, Williams dribbled to run down the clock but missed a jumper with a few seconds remaining. Carleton secured the rebound in the lane and was fouled by Ionescu. She calmly sank both free throws, preventing Ionescu from replicating her heroics in Game 3, where she made a 28-footer with one second left to give the Liberty a 2-1 series lead.

"It was a little screen to get [Jonquel Jones] to the block, but Sabrina had to come out," explained Liberty coach Sandy Brondello about the final possession. "Two seconds, try to establish the big girl down low. They defended it well."

Jones scored 21 points, and Leonie Fiebich added 19 for New York. Stewart, who scored 30 points in Game 3, managed only 11 points on 5-of-20 shooting, while Ionescu was 5 of 16 from the floor, scoring 10 points.

Minnesota is now one win away from securing a record-breaking fifth WNBA title, which would surpass the Houston Comets and Seattle Storm. The Liberty, on the other hand, are still seeking their first title, having lost in the finals five times. They were one of the original eight franchises when the league began in 1997 and remain the only one from that group yet to win it all.

New York lost to Las Vegas in last season’s finals. Friday night marked the one-year anniversary of the Game 4 clincher for the Aces last season.

The Lynx reached the finals for the first time since 2017, when they won the last of their four championships in seven years. Minnesota built a 77-72 lead with 3:14 left before New York scored eight of the next 11 points, including a three-point play by Jones with 1:10 left that tied it at 80.

Both teams had opportunities before Carleton’s free throws. McBride missed a layup with 56 seconds left, but the Lynx forced a shot-clock violation on the other end when Stewart’s shot in the lane missed with 18 seconds left.

"We wanted to get it done tonight, but like Sandy said, our fans are like no other. To go into our environment on Sunday and know they have our backs, when there are tough situations fighting adversity we have the crowd behind us," Stewart said. "Can’t wait for Sunday."

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