MINNEAPOLIS — Kayla McBride has long been known as "McBuckets" to the Minnesota Lynx faithful, but on Sunday she elevated that nickname to new heights. The veteran guard set a WNBA record by draining 10 three-pointers, finishing with a career-high 43 points as the Lynx defeated the Dallas Wings 103-90 at Target Center. The 14,421 fans in attendance witnessed a shooting clinic that will be remembered for years.

McBride’s final three-pointer came off a feed from Napheesa Collier with 2 minutes and 23 seconds remaining, sparking a thunderous ovation. She admitted afterward that she was unaware of the record until told by Collier and associate head coach Eric Thibault. "All I see is the rim and trying to make a play. … Just trying to win, really that’s all it is. Just hooping and trying to get a W. But when it’s going down, it’s going down. There’s no better feeling," McBride said.

Her performance marked the sixth 40-plus-point game in Lynx history and the highest in regulation. Maya Moore dropped 48 points in a double-overtime win over Atlanta in 2014, and Katie Smith had 46 in a 2001 overtime victory at Los Angeles. McBride’s efficiency was stunning: she made 16 of 21 shots from the field, tying a franchise record for made field goals, and went 10-of-14 from deep. Remarkably, she attempted only one free throw — the fewest ever in a 40-point game in league history.

Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve praised McBride’s all-around effort. "She an all-WNBA player — it’s disgraceful she was not an all-star — who chased Paige (Bueckers) around while dropping 43," Reeve said. "She just knows that’s her job. She embraces it, loves it." When McBride was pulled from the game late in the fourth quarter, the crowd broke into a "Kayla, Kayla, Kayla" chant. "When you have a good moment, you want to soak it all in, and I’m just very grateful. I’m 34 years old, my 13th year in the league, I’m exactly where I want to be. Coming back here in the offseason was the best decision I ever made," McBride said. Reeve added, "For her to do this and for her to feel that love was so fitting because Mac deserves all of it."

Rookie guard Olivia Miles also shined, finishing with 20 points and 13 assists — one assist shy of the franchise record shared by current assistant coach Lindsay Whalen (2013) and Noelle Quinn (2007). Miles, along with Caitlin Clark, is the only rookie in WNBA history to record a 20-point, 13-assist game. "We’re such a good team when we swing the ball, and get multiple touches and force teams in rotations, make things really difficult," Miles said. "And, obviously, when you have someone hitting shots like that it opens up so much for everyone and herself as well." She added, "I love passing the ball, it’s a passion of mine, definitely something I want to stick to doing. So you won’t see a shortage of that anytime soon."

Minnesota, now 27-7, is leading the league in three-point shooting at 39.6%. The team made 18 three-pointers as a whole, a franchise record. Collier’s buzzer-beating triple at the end of the third quarter capped a 10-2 run, giving the Lynx a 76-68 lead heading into the final frame. It was the second buzzer-beater of the game; Miles had hit one at the end of the first half to put Minnesota up 47-45. In the first half alone, the Lynx made nine two-pointers and eight three-pointers. They had eight triples in the first half, including three straight by McBride and one by Miles to take a 41-35 lead. Earlier, a 15-2 Dallas run had given the Wings a 29-21 advantage.

For Dallas (19-14), Paige Bueckers — the former Hopkins High School standout — led with 23 points. Top draft pick Azzi Fudd, averaging 13.1 points per game, missed her second consecutive contest due to right knee soreness. The Wings fought hard but could not contain McBride’s historic shooting display.