WNBA Scores September 29, 2026: Liberty Make History, Fever Force Game 3

The WNBA scores for September 29, 2026 produced one historic playoff upset and one season-saving response. The eighth-seeded New York Liberty completed a two-game sweep of the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, while the Indiana Fever beat the defending champion Las Vegas Aces to force a winner-take-all Game 3.

New York became the first No. 8 seed to eliminate a No. 1 seed in WNBA history. Indiana, meanwhile, rode a record-setting night from Caitlin Clark and 75 combined points from Clark, Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston to extend its season.

WNBA Scoreboard — September 29, 2026

• Indiana Fever 99, Las Vegas Aces 89 — series tied 1-1
• New York Liberty 87, Minnesota Lynx 71 — New York wins series 2-0

Indiana Fever 99, Las Vegas Aces 89

Clark’s Record Night Keeps Indiana Alive

Indiana answered a difficult opening quarter with its sharpest offensive performance of the series. Caitlin Clark finished with 27 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds, shooting 9-of-18 from the field and 5-of-11 from 3-point range. Her 15 assists set an Indiana playoff record, and she became the first player in WNBA history with at least 20 points and 15 assists in a playoff game.

Kelsey Mitchell added 26 points, including three 3-pointers, while Aliyah Boston scored 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting with five assists. The trio became the first in Fever franchise history to score at least 20 points apiece in the same game.

Las Vegas was led by Jackie Young’s 31 points, four rebounds and five assists. A’ja Wilson supplied 22 points and nine rebounds, but the Aces could not match Indiana’s efficiency. The Fever shot 52.1% from the field, won the rebounding battle 43-36 and scored a franchise playoff-record 58 points in the paint. Las Vegas shot 42.4% overall and 32.1% from beyond the arc.

Turning Point

Las Vegas led 29-20 early in the second quarter when Clark received a technical foul. Indiana responded with a 16-4 run that changed the energy of the game and moved the Fever in front. Indiana won the second quarter 30-17, carried a 48-43 lead into halftime and pushed the advantage to 72-60 after three quarters.

The Aces cut the deficit to three in the fourth, but Clark answered with timely 3-pointers before fouling out with 2:45 remaining. Mitchell and Boston then closed out the 10-point victory.

Star of the Game: Caitlin Clark

27 points, 15 assists, seven rebounds, five 3-pointers. Clark controlled the game as a scorer and playmaker, set multiple postseason records and gave Indiana another chance to defend its season.

The best-of-three series is tied 1-1. Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday, October 1, in Las Vegas.

New York Liberty 87, Minnesota Lynx 71

Liberty Complete Historic No. 8 Seed Sweep

New York never trailed and finished the biggest first-round upset in league history. Jonquel Jones set the tone by scoring the Liberty’s first seven points and ended the night with 21 points and 13 rebounds, including six offensive boards.

Breanna Stewart played all 40 minutes and contributed 21 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. Sabrina Ionescu added 18 points, seven assists, four rebounds and three steals, making four 3-pointers.

Courtney Williams led Minnesota with 18 points, while Napheesa Collier scored 14. Rookie Olivia Miles was held to five points on 1-of-8 shooting in 17 minutes.

The Liberty shot 46.4% from the field and went a perfect 13-of-13 at the free-throw line. Minnesota was held to 38.2% shooting. New York also edged the Lynx 42-40 on the glass and collected 12 offensive rebounds.

Turning Point

Minnesota was within five at 40-35 late in the second quarter. New York closed the half on a 9-2 run, with Jones scoring on a putback just before the break to establish a 49-37 halftime lead.

The Liberty extended the margin to 15 early in the third quarter. Minnesota never came closer than seven the rest of the way, and New York won every quarter to complete the sweep.

Star of the Game: Jonquel Jones

21 points, 13 rebounds, six offensive rebounds. Jones established New York’s physical advantage immediately and controlled the interior at both ends as the Liberty eliminated the league’s top seed.

New York won the series 2-0 and advanced to the WNBA semifinals, where it will face the winner of Atlanta-Washington. Minnesota’s season ended after a league-best 33-11 regular-season record.

Updated WNBA Playoff Standings After September 29

With the regular season complete, the standings below reflect each playoff team’s current first-round record and series status:

• New York Liberty — 2-0 (advanced to semifinals)
• Minnesota Lynx — 0-2 (eliminated)
• Indiana Fever — 1-1 (series tied)
• Las Vegas Aces — 1-1 (series tied)
• Atlanta Dream — 1-0 (series leader)
• Washington Mystics — 0-1
• Golden State Valkyries — 1-0 (series leader)
• Dallas Wings — 0-1

What the September 29 Results Mean

New York’s upset reshaped the championship bracket. The Liberty entered the postseason with the No. 8 seed but eliminated the league’s best regular-season team by 16 points in consecutive games. Their veteran core accounted for nearly all of Tuesday’s offense and will now have several days to prepare for the semifinals.

Indiana and Las Vegas have no such breathing room. Their series returns to Nevada tied 1-1, with Thursday’s Game 3 determining who advances to face the winner of Golden State-Dallas.

The remaining first-round Game 2 matchups continue Wednesday, September 30, with Atlanta visiting Washington and Golden State visiting Dallas.

Sources

• CBS Sports: Las Vegas Aces at Indiana Fever box score and recap
• CBS Sports: Minnesota Lynx at New York Liberty box score and recap
• Indiana Fever official Game 2 recap
• WNBA Game 2 recap: Lynx at Liberty

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