In a thrilling showdown on Friday night, the Minnesota Lynx edged out the New York Liberty 82-80, thanks to Bridget Carleton’s clutch free throws with just two seconds remaining.

This victory sets the stage for a decisive Game 5 in the WNBA Finals, marking the first Game 5 since 2019, when the Washington Mystics triumphed over the Connecticut Sun.

The upcoming clash will take place on Sunday night in New York, where both teams will vie for the championship title. The Lynx’s win was propelled by strong performances from Kayla McBride, who scored 19 points, and Courtney Williams, who contributed 15 points.

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Minnesota’s defense also played a crucial role, forcing Liberty stars Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu into subpar shooting performances, with Ionescu’s desperate buzzer-beater falling short.

Unlike the previous three games of the series, which featured double-digit leads, this contest remained tightly contested throughout. The game showcased a nail-biting pace, with 14 lead changes and 13 ties, and neither team managed to pull ahead by more than six points.

With the score tied at 80-all and 18 seconds left on the clock, Williams attempted to run down the clock before missing a jumper. Carleton secured the rebound and was fouled by Ionescu, stepping to the line and calmly sinking both free throws. In a twist of fate, Ionescu was unable to replicate her heroics from Game 3, where she hit a remarkable 28-footer to give the Liberty a 2-1 series lead.

For New York, Jonquel Jones led the scoring with 21 points, while Leonie Fiebich added 19. Stewart, who had a standout performance with 30 points in Game 3, struggled with her shot, finishing with just 11 points on 5-of-20 shooting. Ionescu managed 10 points but shot only 5 of 16 from the floor.

With this victory, the Lynx stand just one win away from clinching a record fifth WNBA title, which would break their tie with the Houston Comets and Seattle Storm for the most championships in league history. Meanwhile, the Liberty are still in pursuit of their first title, having fallen short in the Finals five times since the league’s inception in 1997. They are the only original franchise yet to secure a championship.

Friday’s game also marked the one-year anniversary of the Las Vegas Aces’ Game 4 clincher in last season’s Finals, further heightening the stakes for both teams.

The Lynx are making their first Finals appearance since 2017, when they captured their fourth championship in a span of seven years.