WNBA Recap & Results | September 24, 2026
The regular season closed out with five games that settled two live tiebreaker races. Connecticut and Toronto closed out lost seasons, with the former relocating to Houston and the latter looking to change their fortunes next season. Washington beat Chicago to claim the No. 5 seed on the tiebreaker after Indiana collapsed in Minneapolis. Minnesota blew out the Fever to cap a dominant year. Golden State survived a scare in Los Angeles to lock up the No. 2 seed outright. And Las Vegas took care of business in Phoenix, watching the scoreboard from afar. Here's how it all went down, plus a look at how the preview predictions and season-to-date record held up, and where the final playoff seeding landed heading into Sunday's opening round.
Sun Close Out Rough Season With Win Over Tempo
Toronto Tempo 81, Connecticut Sun 95
Two teams with nothing left to play for closed out their seasons, and Connecticut's deeper bench carried the day. The Sun built control with a dominant 31-21 third quarter. Final: 95-81, Connecticut closes its season at 11-33, while Toronto finishes its inaugural year at 11-32.
Ashlon Jackson was electric off the bench, going 6-of-11 from the field (5-of-9 from three) for 18 points at 75.8% true shooting. Raegan Beers added 17 points on 54.5% shooting with eight rebounds and two blocks. Hailey Van Lith dished eight assists on nine rebounds. Connecticut's 50 bench points reflected exactly the deeper-roster edge the preview flagged as the difference between two tired teams with nothing on the line.
Toronto's Kiki Rice delivered a strong finale, going 9-of-20 from the field for 28 points with eight rebounds. Isabelle Harrison posted a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. But Toronto's 17.2% three-point shooting and their 26 free throw attempts allowed reflected a shorthanded roster closing out a difficult first season on the road.
CON 95 · TOR 81
Mystics Claim No. 5 Seed on Tiebreaker
Chicago Sky 93, Washington Mystics 101
Washington controlled the game it needed to win regardless of what happened in Minneapolis, building a 25-25 statement in the first quarter and holding on through a spirited Chicago fourth-quarter push. Final: 101-93, Washington closes its regular season at 28-16 and claims the No. 5 seed on the tiebreaker after Indiana's simultaneous loss, while Chicago closes its season at 16-28.
Sonia Citron was nearly perfect, going 8-of-9 from the field (2-of-3 from three) for 21 points at 101.7% true shooting with five assists. Kiki Iriafen posted a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds, seven offensive. Michaela Onyenwere added 16 points on 65% shooting. Washington's 45.5% three-point shooting as a team and their 24 fouls drawn reflected exactly the talent gap the preview flagged, delivered with a playoff seed directly on the line.
WAS 101 · CHI 93
Lynx Cap Dominant Season With Blowout of Fever
Indiana Fever 66, Minnesota Lynx 86
Minnesota, already locked into the No. 1 overall seed, delivered exactly the statement the preview described a team with nothing left to prove could still make. The Lynx built a 36-point lead through three quarters, and Indiana's collapse simultaneously cost the Fever the No. 5 seed. Final: 86-66, Minnesota closes its historic season at 33-11, while Indiana falls to 28-16 and drops to the No. 6 seed on the tiebreaker.
Natasha Howard was dominant, going 9-of-11 from the field for 21 points at 82.3% true shooting with eight rebounds and three blocks. Kayla McBride hit six of 10 three-point attempts for 22 points. Courtney Williams dished 10 assists. Minnesota's 15 made three-pointers and their 28 assists on 33 made field goals reflected exactly the talent-regardless-of-stakes performance the preview flagged from the league's best team.
Indiana's offense, the league's most explosive all season, never found any rhythm on the night it mattered most. Caitlin Clark shot just 1-of-12 for two points, and Kelsey Mitchell added 10 points on 25% shooting. Monique Billings posted a double-double with six points and 10 rebounds. But Indiana's 15.6% three-point shooting and their inability to generate anything offensively reflected a stunning collapse in the one game the Fever needed to lock up their seeding outright.
IND 66 · MIN 86
Valkyries Survive Scare to Lock Up No. 2 Seed
Golden State Valkyries 76, Los Angeles Sparks 75
Golden State controlled its own destiny and needed every bit of it, trailing by as many as 16 in the second quarter before a dominant 30-20 fourth quarter completed the comeback. Final: 76-75, Golden State closes its regular season at 32-12 and locks up the No. 2 seed outright, sidestepping the tiebreaker that would have sent Las Vegas ahead on the strength of their season sweep, while Los Angeles closes its season at 16-28.
Kaitlyn Chen was excellent off the bench, going 8-of-12 from the field for 18 points at 72.3% true shooting. Veronica Burton added 17 points on a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line with five assists. Kiah Stokes posted a double-double with seven points and 12 rebounds. Golden State's furious fourth-quarter comeback reflected exactly the stingiest-defense-in-the-league identity the preview flagged, delivered when the No. 2 seed was directly on the line.
Los Angeles pushed the eventual No. 2 seed to the brink in its season finale. Nneka Ogwumike posted a double-double with 17 points and 15 rebounds on 47.1% shooting. Rae Burrell added 15 points on 4-of-6 from three, and Dearica Hamby contributed 15 points. But Los Angeles's 14 total turnovers, generating a 16-point lead that ultimately evaporated in the fourth, reflected a Sparks team that came achingly close to playing spoiler in the season's biggest remaining race.
GSV 76 · LAS 75
Aces Close Season Watching the Scoreboard From Phoenix
Las Vegas Aces 100, Phoenix Mercury 82
Las Vegas took care of business exactly as the preview anticipated, needing a win and a Golden State loss to force the tiebreaker, and got the win before watching San Francisco settle the rest. Las Vegas built control with a 65-32 first-half advantage. Final: 100-82, Las Vegas closes its regular season at 31-13 and settles for the No. 3 seed after Golden State's survival, while Phoenix closes its season at 16-28.
A'ja Wilson delivered a season-high, going 16-of-28 from the field for 34 points at 59.8% true shooting with a double-double of 10 rebounds, adding four assists. Stephanie Talbot was perfect, going 6-of-6 from the field for 14 points. Jewell Loyd added 25 points on 64.3% shooting. Las Vegas's 62% shooting in the first half and their 27 assists reflected exactly the motivated-defending-champion performance the preview flagged, even in a game that ultimately couldn't flip the No. 2 seed.
Phoenix competed hard in its season finale despite the talent gap. Kahleah Copper led the Mercury with 18 points on 46.7% shooting. Alyssa Thomas dished nine assists on a quiet six-point night, and Natasha Mack added 12 points with four blocks. But Phoenix's 18 total turnovers, converted into 20 Las Vegas points, reflected exactly the eliminated-team-with-nothing-to-play-for profile the preview identified heading into the finale.
LVA 100 · PHX 82
CON, WAS, MIN, GSV, & LVA Wins.
The regular season finale delivered exactly the drama both live tiebreaker races promised. Washington's win, combined with Indiana's stunning collapse in Minneapolis, flips the No. 5 seed to the Mystics. And Golden State's furious comeback in Los Angeles locked up the No. 2 seed outright, avoiding a tiebreaker that would have favored Las Vegas after their season sweep. Minnesota closes a historic 33-11 season with a statement blowout, and the playoff bracket is now fully set heading into Sunday's opening round.
Star of the Night: A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
34 points | 16-of-28 FG | 59.8% TS | 10 rebounds | Double-Double
Wilson closed the regular season with a season-high scoring night, controlling the game from the opening tip in a game that carried real stakes for Las Vegas. Citron's 101.7% true shooting night and Howard's dominant close to Minnesota's historic season both made strong cases, but Wilson's volume and efficiency on the final day of the season gives her the top spot.
Dud of the Night: Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever
2 points | 1-of-12 FG | 8.3% field goal percentage
Clark's shooting collapse came in the exact game Indiana needed her most, a chance to lock up the No. 5 seed outright against a Minnesota team with nothing to play for. One made field goal on 12 attempts reflected the worst possible night for the league's most explosive offense, and it directly cost the Fever their preferred seeding. Now instead of playing Atlanta, they will face the defending champions.
How We Did: Checking the Preview Predictions
The regular-season finale went a rough 2-for-5 on sides, with the totals splitting 3-for-5.
Toronto @ Connecticut: The preview leaned Connecticut -1.5 with the under at 168.5. Connecticut won by 14, comfortably covering, but the total came in at 176, over the number. The side hit clean.
Chicago @ Washington: The preview leaned Washington -12.5 with the over at 166.5. Washington won by only eight, missing the massive spread, but the total came in at 194, well over the number. The side missed as Chicago's fight kept the margin closer than the seeding stakes suggested; the over held up.
Indiana @ Minnesota: The preview leaned Indiana -2.5 with the over at 183.5, expecting a motivated Fever offense to take advantage of a Lynx team with nothing on the line. Minnesota won outright by 20, meaning Indiana missed badly, and the total came in at 152, well under the number. Both calls missed as Minnesota's talent showed up regardless of stakes, exactly the alternate scenario the preview flagged.
Golden State @ Los Angeles: The preview leaned Golden State -11.5 with the under at 158.5. Golden State won by only one, missing the massive spread after trailing by 16, but the total came in at 151, comfortably under the number. The side missed as Los Angeles nearly pulled off the upset; the under call held up.
Las Vegas @ Phoenix: The preview leaned Las Vegas -9.5 with the over at 175.5. Las Vegas won by 18, comfortably covering, and the total came in at 182, over the number. A clean sweep to close out the season.
The headline takeaway: three of the five favorites failed to cover even while winning outright, a pattern that showed up repeatedly across the finale as underdogs playing loose or fighting hard kept final margins closer than the stakes alone suggested.
Season Predictions Record — Final
The complete predictions record for the 2026 WNBA regular season:
Spread / Side: 68-64
Total (Over/Under): 68-69
One hundred thirty-two games graded across forty-three preview articles this season. The side calls finished at 52%, while the totals finished at just under 50%. Thanks for following along all season — playoff coverage begins with Sunday's opening round.
The Final Playoff Seeding
The regular season is complete, and the bracket is set: Minnesota (33-11) is the No. 1 seed, Golden State (32-12) locks up No. 2 after surviving Los Angeles, Las Vegas (31-13) settles for No. 3 despite winning its finale, Atlanta (31-14) is No. 4, Washington (28-16) claims No. 5 on the tiebreaker over Indiana, Indiana (28-16) drops to No. 6, New York (26-18) is No. 7, and Dallas (27-17) rounds out the field at No. 8.
The two head-to-head races the preview flagged both resolved in favor of the trailing team: Washington's win combined with Indiana's collapse flipped the No. 5 seed, and Golden State's survival in Los Angeles kept the Valkyries at No. 2 rather than ceding it to Las Vegas on the tiebreaker. The playoffs open Sunday, September 27.