MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kayla McBride scored 18 points, Courtney Williams had 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and the Minnesota Lynx beat the Phoenix Mercury 79-66 to improve to 12-0 at home this season heading into the All-Star break. Minnesota, which led 37-33 at the break, made a 3-pointer on three straight possessions in the third quarter to extend its lead to 57-44. Phoenix made four of its first five field goals of the third before missing six straight as Minnesota went on a key run. Jessica Shepard’s one-handed putback just before the third-quarter buzzer made it 64-49. The Lynx made five 3-pointers in the frame to outscore the Mercury 27-16. Napheesa Collier scored eight of her 10 points in the third and Alanna Smith finished with 11 points for Minnesota.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin cornerback Nyzier Fourqurean’s status for this season is now unclear after a federal appeals court overturned a preliminary injunction that granted him another year of NCAA eligibility. Seventh Circuit judges ruled in a 2-1 decision to reverse the ruling by a lower court. Fourqurean, a fifth-year senior, had argued that his first two college seasons at Division II Grand Valley State should not count toward his eligibility. Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia is expected to play again after winning his court case last year on the grounds that his two seasons at a junior college do not count.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Denis Bouanga scored on a first-half penalty kick and Hugo Lloris made it stand up for his third straight clean sheet as Los Angeles FC edged Minnesota United 1-0. Bouanga scored his 11th goal when he sent a right-footed shot past Dayne St. Clair in the 42nd minute. The PK was awarded after Jeremy Ebobisse was fouled by defender Nicolás Romero, who received a yellow card. Lloris finished with three saves for his league-high-tying ninth clean sheet of the season for LAFC (10-5-5). St. Clair entered with nine shutouts and totaled five saves for Minnesota United (11-5-7), which falls to 6-3-3 at home.
Yu Zidi of China is only 12 years old and has qualified for the world swimming championships in Singapore. Her performances have stunned the swimming world. Yu’s times in the 200- and 400-meter individual medley and the 200 butterfly rank among the best in the world this year. At the national championships in May, her times in the 200 butterfly and 400 IM would have placed her fourth in last year’s Paris Olympics. She’s also swimming faster at 12 than teenage Canadian star Summer McIntosh did at the same age. McIntosh has won three Olympic gold medals and holds the world record in both medley races.