Natasha Howard and Courtney Williams lead Lynx to 90-86 win over Wings

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Natasha Howard scored 26 points, including the tiebreaking basket with 51 seconds left, Courtney Williams added 21 points and the Minnesota Lynx defeated the Dallas Wings 90-86 on Thursday night.

Howard scored an uncontested layup on a pick-and-roll with rookie Olivia Miles, who had 15 points and six assists for the Lynx (2-1), that made it 87-85. The Lynx secured the win with Kayla McBride making three of four free throws in the last 17.1 seconds. She finished with 11 points, including going 9 of 11 from the foul line,

Nia Coffey added 13 points for Minnesota and matched McBride with eight rebounds. Williams was 9 of 10 from the floor as the Lynx shot 60%.

Paige Bueckers scored 27 points for the Wings (1-2), going 10 of 11 from the foul line and had eight assists. Maddy Siegrist scored 17 first-half points and Odyssey Sims added 11. Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 overall draft pick, came off the bench to score eight points in her second WNBA game.

McBride made a pair of free throws midway through the third quarter to give the Lynx a 55-54 lead, their first since the opening minutes.

Sims hit a running 3-pointer from the left wing as time expired in the third quarter to put Dallas up 70-68.

Siegrist had 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting in the first half when the Wings took a 48-40 lead. They led by as many as 12 before Minnesota used a 9-0 run in the second quarter to close within a basket. Williams had 13 points and Miles 11 for the Lynx.

Minnesota lost rookie free agent Emma Cechova, who averaged 11 points in two games off the bench, to a non-contact knee injury at 2:31 of the third quarter.

Minnesota is at home against Chicago on Sunday.

Dallas plays its first road game at Washington on Monday.

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball —

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers, right, is defended by Minnesota Lynx forward Natasha Howard (1) during the second half of a WNBA basketball game in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, May 14, 2026. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams (10) gestures after scoring a three-pointer as Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd (35) looks on during the second half of a WNBA basketball game in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, May 14, 2026. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams (10) shoots against Minnesota Lynx forward Natasha Howard (1) during the second half of a WNBA basketball game in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, May 14, 2026. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles (5) drives past Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers during the second half of a WNBA basketball game in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, May 14, 2026. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Minnesota Lynx forward Natasha Howard prepares for a free throw during the second half of a WNBA basketball game against the Dallas Wings in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, May 14, 2026. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The two Democrats vying to be Iowa's next U.S. senator each tried to explain in a debate Thursday why he's the one to flip the Republican-held seat, showcasing a struggle within the party over the best strategy to reclaim the U.S. Senate this fall.

State Rep. Josh Turek said he's the “battle-tested” candidate who has won in his red state House district by reaching independents and moderate Republicans who supported President Donald Trump. State Sen. Zach Wahls criticized national Democratic leaders, including Sen. Chuck Schumer, who he says have abandoned rural and working-class voters who are frustrated with both parties.

The two spent a largely cordial hour showing many areas of agreement, but an influx of outside spending and recent big-name endorsements has intensified one of the few remaining competitive Democratic Senate primaries this year.

Both Democrats directed most of their attacks toward Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is seeking the GOP nomination.

Iowa’s Republican Sen. Joni Ernst opted out of a reelection bid, leaving the seat open for the first time since she replaced retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin in 2014. Republican Senate leaders have backed Hinson, who represents northeast Iowa, and the campaign arm has committed $29 million to help her keep their thin majority.

Democrats see an opportunity to flip seats in the once-competitive state, despite Trump’s double-digit win in the last presidential election and an all-Republican federal delegation. The political committee aligned with Senate Democrats said Thursday it was investing $13 million in the state. But Iowa Democrats first need to settle on which federal candidate will be at the top of the ticket. Early voting began Wednesday.

Turek said his win in a Trump district will translate statewide, making him the best candidate to go up against a full-fledged Republican operation heading into the general election.

“My opponent, Zach Wahls, has never run against a Republican,” Turek said. “I know that there is something specific about my story, my background, my resume ... that really has this unique ability to win over independents, which are the kingmakers in the process, and moderate Republicans.”

Wahls said he's gone up against plenty of Republicans to advocate and “defend families like mine,” referencing a 2011 speech he made to Iowa lawmakers about his two moms that went viral. Wahls maintained that winning back rural and working-class voters lies with offering a different kind of Democratic Party and a new leader of Senate Democrats.

“We need to win back the trust of rural and blue-collar voters who were written off and lost by Chuck Schumer,” Wahls said. “We have a choice: Run the same playbook that Chuck Schumer ran and lose, or fight for the voters that he wrote off and win them back.”

Wahls has been critical of Turek for not rejecting Schumer as caucus leader. Turek says he would question any leader candidate on what they would do for Iowa and Iowans.

Both candidates focused their attacks Thursday on Hinson. Turek and Wahls, aligned on many issues, criticized votes Hinson has taken in the House to support Trump's agenda.

Each said he would not support the Republican president’s tariffs or the war in Iran. Wahls said Hinson had “rubber stamped” Trump's approach by voting againsta resolution to curb the president's powers in the Iran war, which Wahls blamed for higher gas prices and farmer input costs, including diesel and fertilizer.

Turek criticized Hinson's support for Trump’s tax and spending cuts package. He said he supports no tax on tips and overtime, which he described as policies that support the middle class, but said the law's cuts to Medicaid and food assistance exacerbated a “crisis in this state, unique to Iowa.”

Both candidates criticized corruption in Washington and proposed higher taxes on corporations and wealthy Americans.

Wahls criticized Turek for missing several votes on bills related to reproductive health care, including one that bans most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy and another that would have criminalized the death of an “unborn person.”

Turek explained his absence during the one-day special session vote on Iowa's abortion law, saying he had a serious medical issue related to his disability. He apologized in a newsletter after “to all of my constituents for not being able to cast my vote against this bill on your behalf.”

Wahls also hit Turek for a vote he took in committee supporting a wide-ranging bill that included funding for centers that discourage women from getting abortions. Turek voted against the bill on the House floor.

Both candidates said they would work to codify access to abortion in the U.S. Senate.

While Wahls and Turek have raised and spent similar amounts, a Democratic political organization, VoteVets, has spent about $7 million to support Turek in the final stretch of the campaign. That's more than the two candidates have spent combined.

Turek, who is not a veteran, was born with spina bifida after his father’s exposure to chemicals while serving in the Vietnam War. The group has said Turek is uniquely positioned to advocate for veterans’ services, especially health care and military families.

Wahls has criticized the influx of cash as insiders in Washington trying to exert outsized influence.

Another group purchased more than $40,000 in airtime to support Wahls this week, according to filings. Iowa Action was funded by a lawyer with a California address who has also donated directly to Wahls' campaign.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.

This combination of file photos shows Iowa State Sen. and candidate for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate Zach Wahls speaking in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Sept, 11, 2025, left, and Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek speaking in Des Moines, Iowa, April 8, 2026, right. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette via AP, File)