Kayla McBride hits eight 3-pointers, Lynx roll to WNBA-record 53-point road win against Aces

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Kayla McBride led a 3-point barrage, making 8 of 10 from beyond the arc, and the Minnesota Lynx set the WNBA record for the biggest road win, beating the Las Vegas Aces 111-58 on Saturday.

McBride made all eight of her 3-point attempts in the first half and the Lynx was 13 for 14 as a team, leading to a 67-33 halftime lead.

Minnesota's 53-point win broke the league-record for largest margin of victory on the road, a record set in 1998 by the Houston Comets. Minnesota also set a team record with 17 3-pointers in 27 attempts.

McBride missed both of her 3-point attempts in the second half, coming up short of the league-record of nine 3-pointers in a game. She finished with 24 points.

Jessica Shepard had 18 points and 14 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season and second in nine days for the league-best Lynx (24-5). MVP candidate Napheesa Collier scored 18 points but left the game late in the third quarter with an ankle injury. Natisha Hiedeman added 17 points.

Jewell Loyd had 12 points and reigning league MVP A'ja Wilson scored 10 for the Aces (14-14).

The Lynx hit 4 of 5 3-pointers in the first five minutes of the game to build an 18-8 lead. They went on to hit 6 of 7 from deep and led 35-17 heading to the second quarter. During one stretch, Minnesota made nine consecutive 3s and led 67-33 at halftime. They pushed the lead to 92-49 entering the fourth quarter.

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Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve calls out to players during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Las Vegas Aces Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) shoots a layup between Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams (10) and Minnesota Lynx forward Bridget Carleton (6) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) and Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams (10) go after a losse ball during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) drives against Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) defends against Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran closed its airspace to commercial flights for hours without explanation early Thursday as tensions remained high with the United States over Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests.

The closure ran for over four hours, according to pilot guidance issued by Iran, which lies on a key East-West flight route. International carriers diverted north and south around Iran, but after one extension, the closure appeared to have expired and several domestic flights were in the air just after 7 a.m.

Iran previously shut its airspace during the 12-day war against Israel in June and when it exchanged fire with Israel during the Israel-Hamas war. However, there were no signs of current hostilities though the closure immediately rippled through global aviation because Iran is located on a key East-West route for airlines.

“Several airlines have already reduced or suspended services, and most carriers are avoiding Iranian airspace,” said the website SafeAirspace, which provides information on conflict areas and air travel. “The situation may signal further security or military activity, including the risk of missile launches or heightened air defense, increasing the risk of misidentification of civil traffic.”

Iran in the past has misidentified a commercial aircraft as a hostile target. In 2020, Iranian air defense shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 with two surface-to-air missiles, killing all 176 people on board. Iran for days adamantly dismissed allegations of downing the plane as Western propaganda before finally acknowledging it.

The airspace closure came as some personnel at a key U.S. military base in Qatar were advised to evacuate. The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait also ordered its personnel to “temporary halt” going to the multiple military bases in the small Gulf Arab country.

The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting on Iran at the request of the United States on Thursday afternoon.

U.S. President Donald Trump made a series of vague statements Wednesday that left unclear what American action, if any, would take place against Iran.

In comments to reporters, Trump said he had been told that plans for executions in Iran have stopped, without providing many details. The shift comes a day after Trump told protesters in Iran that “help is on the way” and that his administration would “act accordingly” to respond to the Islamic Republic’s deadly crackdown.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also sought to tone down the rhetoric, urging the U.S. to find a solution through negotiation.

Asked by Fox News what he would say to Trump, Araghchi said: “My message is: Between war and diplomacy, diplomacy is a better way, although we don’t have any positive experience from the United States. But still diplomacy is much better than war.”

The change in tone by the U.S. and Iran came hours after the chief of the Iranian judiciary said the government must act quickly to punish the thousands who have been detained.

Activists warned that hangings of detainees could come soon. The security forces’ crackdown on the demonstrations has killed at least 2,615, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported. The death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalls the chaos surrounding the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Demonstrators burn a poster depicting Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a rally in support of anti-government protests in Iran, in Holon, Israel Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

A woman mourns next to the flag-draped coffins of a group of security forces, who were killed during anti-government protests, during their funeral ceremony, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

A man hands out posters of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a funeral ceremony for a group of security forces, who were killed during anti-government protests, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

People take part in a rally in support of anti-government protests in Iran, Berlin Germany, Wednesday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Policemen protect the British Embassy during a protest by hardline supporters of the Iranian government, as people ride on their motorbike in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)