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Jun 14, 2008 9:25 pm US/Central
Kraayeveld, Christon Help Liberty Hold Off Lynx
NEW YORK (AP) ―
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Candice Wiggins scored 18 of her 26 points in the second half for Minnesota (6-4), which has lost four of five since a 5-0 start.
Cathrine Kraayeveld and Shameka Christon scored 13 points each to help the New York Liberty hold off the Minnesota Lynx 77-76 on Saturday night.
Janel McCarville had 12 points and Tiffany Jackson added 11 to help New York (5-4) get its fourth win in five games.
Candice Wiggins scored 18 of her 26 points in the second half for Minnesota (6-4), which has lost four of five since a 5-0 start. Seimone Augusts had 16 points and Anna DeForge added 14 for the Lynx, who have lost six straight against the Liberty.
Minnesota nearly came all the way back from a 16-point deficit in the final minute of the third quarter and had a chance to win as the clock wound down.
After DeForge's fastbreak layup pulled the Lynx within one with 18.4 seconds left, the Liberty were whistled for an 8-second violation for failing to get the ball past midcourt.
DeForge inbounded the ball to Wiggins, who went to the right, pump faked and put up a shot that bounced off the rim and was knocked away and grabbed by Kraayeveld as time ran out.
Erin Thorn hit a 3 and Christon made a free throw to push New York's lead to 12 with 5:53 left. However, the Lynx scored nine straight points, started and finished by baskets from Augustus, to cut the deficit to 71-68 with 3 1/2 minutes to go.
McCarville had a jumper and Christon a reverse layup to stretch the lead to seven with 2:19 to go.
The Liberty shot 48 percent from the field (29-for-60), including 8-for-16 on 3-pointers.
Minnesota was 44 percent from the floor (28-for-64) and just 6-for-14 on 3s.
New York scored 11 consecutive points bridging halftime to take a 48-38 lead on Essence Carson's jumper with 7:47 left in the third quarter.
After Wiggins made a running hook shot 26 seconds later to end Minnesota's drought, Leilani Mitchell had a layup and McCarville hit two free throws to stretch the Liberty's lead to 12 with 5:26 to go in the third.
Wiggins' 3 pulled the Lynx to 55-47, but Jackson and McCarville had two baskets each in an 8-0 run to double New York's lead to 16 with 27 seconds left in the quarter.
The Liberty got off to a strong start, taking a 27-18 lead after a first quarter in which they shot 63 percent (10-for-16).
The Lynx opened the second quarter on a 13-5 run and pulled within a point on Wiggins' two free throws with 4:36 left in the half. DeForge hit a 3 almost 1 1/2 minutes later to give Minnesota a 36-34 lead, the Lynx's first advantage since they were up 8-7.
Lisa Willis hit two free throws and Carson had a fastbreak layup in the final 36 seconds to give the Liberty a 41-38 lead at the break.
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