Lynx clinch No. 1 seed despite "embarrassing" loss to Fever

Fan favorite Kate “Money” Martin is already making a splash in Chicago.

Lynx clinch top seed despite loss to Fever

No. 1 Minnesota got it done — barely, clinching the No. 1 playoff seed and home-court advantage last night despite getting lit up by No. 5 Indiana 96-77.

• A shaky Lynx start saw the Fever bolt to a 57-28 halftime lead — Minnesota’s biggest deficit of the season — before coach Cheryl Reeve emptied her bench in an attempt to rest her starters.

• No. 9 Portland’s 90-82 overtime win over No. 2 Golden State later locked it up for the league-leader, as the Fire pushed the Valkyries out of top-seed contention. (See full report)

How it happened: Caitlin Clark kept Indiana’s home-court advantage dreams alive with 27 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds, while fellow Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell extended her record to 27 straight games with at least 20 points.

• The Lynx were without Rookie of the Year frontrunner Olivia Miles (calf), with Reeve calling the late scratch a precaution heading into the postseason.

• “It’s embarrassing,” Minnesota forward Napheesa Collier said. “We should be disappointed and embarrassed about the product that we put on the floor tonight.” (Watch full highlights)

Up next: Minnesota and Indiana run it back tomorrow at 8 PM ET (USA).

LA wins WPBL title behind 1st-ever shutout

The WPBL has its first champion, as No. 3 LA blanked No. 1 San Francisco 2-0 last night to win the pro baseball league’s inaugural title in record fashion.

• Entering with a hefty 6.09 ERA, No. 2 draft pick Ayami Sato came through with the first shutout in league history, tossing a complete game with five hits, no walks, and one strikeout on 76 pitches.

• Marking the WPBL’s lowest-scoring clash ever, the Queens managed just two hits, scoring the game’s only runs in a third-inning rally behind a pair of errors, a walk, and a Mo’ne Davis single. (Watch full highlights)

Looking back: LA broke out into a 2-0 series lead, watched the Firebells storm back with two blowout wins, then leaned on Sato to close out the best-of-five final.

• The result capped a successful debut season for the four-team league, reporting more than $1.3 million in ticket sales despite playing all 30 games in Springfield, Illinois.

• “I told them before the game, ‘This is a must-win,’” Queens captain Ashton Lansdell said. “We don’t know what next year looks like. We might not be here together, as a unit, again.” (See full report)

NWSL drops Championship weekend lineup

The NWSL Championship is taking shape, as the league announced a full slate of events leading up to the November 21st title game in Washington, DC.

• The lineup kicks off November 18th with the second annual NWSL Awards, as this season’s top-performing players plus standout teams and coaches step into the spotlight.

• Commissioner Jessica Berman then delivers her State of the League address on November 19th — hours before JWS hosts Time Wasting Live with Kelley O’Hara and Ali Riley at Union Stage.

On the docket: The fourth annual NWSL Skills Challenge returns on November 20th, with players competing across Gauntlet, Breakaway Circuit, and Precision Point events for a $35,000 prize pool.

• Saturday opens with the first-ever NWSL Championship 5K, followed by the league’s sixth annual Fan Fest featuring interactive games, food and drink, live music, and other pre-game activations. (See full schedule)

Stay tuned: RSVP for events and register for updates via nwslsoccer.com.

Star-backed NorCal Rumble joins MLV

MLV is spreading its wings, as incoming expansion team NorCal Rumble unveiled its official branding ahead of its planned 2027 debut at San Jose’s Tech CU Arena.

• Inspired by the “forces of nature, individuality, and the unmistakable spirit” of the region, the Northern California addition is one of four teams joining the soon-to-be 12-team pro volleyball league.

• “We’re here to compete, but we’re also here to build a world-class environment for our players, an incredible experience for our fans, and a team our community feels proud to call its own,” said Rumble President Heather Vaughan. (See full release)

Big backing: The Rumble’s ownership group is stacked with heavyweights, including Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings, Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé, and NBA champion Andre Iguodala. (See full report)

Report: NWSL rolls out youth development rule

The NWSL is investing in its future, as ESPN reported the league quietly launched a new player development rule rewarding clubs for scouting prospects as young as the U-15 level.

• Under the mechanism, if a team registers a player, funds her training, and logs at least 200 hours of oversight over two years, it can earn salary cap relief — as much as 80% — when she signs her first NWSL contract.

• The financial breaks run through the player’s 23rd birthday, aligning with FIFA’s training compensation model for men’s leagues. (See full report)

Big picture: The new protocol builds on the NWSL’s previous U-18 mechanism, which has allowed teams to sign minors with specific restrictions since 2022. 

Quote of the day

Wings guard Paige Bueckers
on USA Basketball teammate — and WNBA adversary — Kahleah Copper after Phoenix downed Dallas on Monday.