WATCH AND LISTEN

20080830/WASMIN
Mystics-Lynx Preview
By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN, STATS Editor

Seimone Augustus has already accomplished one goal on her list this year. She has her work cut out to accomplish another.

After helping the United States win gold in the Beijing Olympics, Augustus and the Minnesota Lynx play their first game since the break when they host the Washington Mystics on Saturday.

Augustus averaged 7.9 points off the bench in Beijing to help the U.S. claim its fourth straight Olympic title.

"I'm going to take it back to Minni (Minneapolis) and I know they are going to go crazy when I get back there, and then from there it's going home," said Augustus about her gold medal.

The third-year star can now turn her attention to trying to reach the postseason for the first time in her career. Minnesota (13-13) has only been to the playoffs twice in its first nine seasons, and has never advanced. The Lynx are in sixth place in the Western Conference, but trail Sacramento by only one game for fourth place and the final playoff spot.

After hosting Washington, Minnesota embarks on a four-game road trip. Only three of the Lynx's final eight games are at home, where they are just 8-7.

The Lynx expect to have second-leading scorer Candice Wiggins available Saturday. The rookie, who is averaging 16.4 points, missed the Lynx's last two games before the break with back problems, but has been practicing in preparation for the stretch run.

The Lynx and Mystics (10-17) are meeting for the first time this year, after Washington won both matchups in 2007 in overtime. Augustus scored 33 points in a 91-87 loss in the last meeting at the Target Center on July 20, 2007.

Washington got 18 points from Alana Beard and 16 from Monique Currie in a 79-75 loss to Chicago on Friday. It was the Mystics' first game since the break and first since they traded second-leading scorer Taj McWilliams-Franklin to Detroit on Aug. 19.

Rookie Tasha Humphrey, acquired in the deal, made her Washington debut and scored 11 points off the bench.

The Mystics fell into a tie with Chicago for fifth place in the Eastern Conference, two games behind Indiana for the conference's final playoff spot.

Washington played Friday without point guard Nikki Blue, who is day-to-day with a sprained ankle. Coco Miller started in her place and scored 12 points.

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