Lynx-Mystics Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN
Posted Aug 17 2011 4:17PM

The WNBA-leading Minnesota Lynx are coming off their most lopsided defeat of the season.

A repeat performance against the Eastern Conference's worst team seems unlikely.

Hoping to avoid back-to-back losses for just the second time this season, the visiting Lynx look to regroup against the woeful Washington Mystics on Thursday night.

Minnesota (18-6) lost for just the second time in 13 games Tuesday, 108-79 at the Sun as first-year sensation Maya Moore made her much-anticipated return to Connecticut. Moore was an AP first team All-American in each of her four seasons with the Connecticut Huskies, leading the team to two NCAA titles.

Moore, however, looked like anything but the league's top rookie, finishing with two points on 1-of-7 shooting.

"Connecticut played well, played with confidence," she said. "They hit their shots and we didn't get the job done on defense. We didn't meet the challenge."

While the Lynx, who rank second in the WNBA with 82.2 points per game, couldn't slow down the Sun, they shouldn't have too much difficulty keeping pace with Washington (5-17).

The offensively challenged Mystics are averaging a conference-worst 72.4 points and own the league's second-lowest field goal percentage (41.2).

Washington has lost three of four - including Tuesday's 69-66 defeat at New York. Despite 16 turnovers, the Mystics led by one with 14 seconds remaining before Cappie Pondexter put the Liberty up for good.

"Every game this season we've been in, so we match up well," coach Trudi Lacy said. "I think our defense has improved throughout the season. I think the lack of playing together and the lack of experience with a very young team shows up at the end of games.

"We just continue to learn and grow and improve and that's our objective."

Four of Washington's five most recent losses have come by four or fewer points.

"It was a pretty tough game for us," Crystal Langhorne said following another disappointing result. "It's pretty tough. What can you do now but keep playing."

While her team continues to struggle offensively, Langhorne has shined. Langhorne, who is fourth in the WNBA in scoring at 18.9 points per game - scored 25 on 10-of-13 from the floor and added six rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Langhorne has led Washington to three consecutive wins over Minnesota, averaging 15.3 points and 11.0 rebounds over that span.

The Lynx have won six of eight on the road while the Mystics have dropped eight of 11 at the Verizon Center.

Lynx rebound from bad loss, rout Mystics 81-62

Posted Aug 18 2011 10:33PM

WASHINGTON (AP) One practice was enough to get the Minnesota Lynx back on track after their worst loss of the season.

Seimone Augustus scored 18 points and Maya Moore added 14 in the Lynx's 81-62 rout of the Washington Mystics on Thursday night.

Rebekkah Brunson scored 13 points for the Lynx, who shot 57.1 percent (36 for 63) from the field - matching their season high set at Seattle on June 9. The Western Conference leaders lost by 29 points at Connecticut on Tuesday, but bounced back to win for the 12th time in 14 games.

The much-improved Lynx (19-6) established a franchise record for victories in a season, and they still have nine games remaining. Minnesota is also on the verge of securing its first playoff berth since 2004.

``We had a really spirited practice (Wednesday),'' Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. ``It was the equivalent of a football team having a pads-on practice. We really challenged each other ... it really set the tone for who we were in the game.''

Without hesitation or prodding, and out of earshot of their coach, Moore and Lindsay Whalen credited the practice for the Lynx' quick turnaround.

``We lost by a ton in that game. We didn't play well at all,'' said Whalen, who scored 11 points and had seven assists. ``The only thing you can do is refocus, knowing you're going to play in two nights. We had a really good practice and we just had to come in here and be focused.''

Matee Ajavon scored 15 points and Marissa Coleman had 12 points for the Mystics (5-18), in their most lopsided loss of the season. Washington has lost three straight and four of five.

Washington's previous five losses were by a combined 18 points, but the Mystics trailed by as many as 23 in the second half against Minnesota.

``We've been pretty close in every single game, but you have these days where nothing is really clicking,'' Ajavon said. ``Defense is always supposed to be there but they were just scoring at will.''

Augustus made 8 of 12 shots and combined with Moore and Brunson to sink 20 of 29 (68.9 percent).

``I thought Seimone was impressive with her shot-making ability,'' Reeve said. ``As a group we're pretty balanced and we got each other the ball in pretty good position to score.''

Moore's basket to open the second quarter put the Lynx ahead for good at 19-18. Lindsay Whalen's 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer gave Minnesota its largest first-half lead at 39-29.

After Taj McWilliams Franklin's layup with 2:07 remaining in the third quarter made it 53-42, the lead never dipped below 10 points. The Lynx made seven of their first eight shots in the fourth and held the Mystics to 42.6 percent shooting for the game.

``We came out with much better energy, focus and effort,'' said the rookie Moore, who was 1 for 7 with only two points in Tuesday's loss.

The four-time, first-team All-American at the University of Connecticut had four steals on Thursday.

``We played really good defense, that was probably the most fun,'' Moore said.

Crystal Langhorne scored 11 points for the Mystics, who three-game winning streak against the Lynx was snapped.

After playing five of six on the road, the Lynx will return home to play Los Angeles on Saturday.

• Lynx: --
• Mystics: --

• Lynx: --
• Mystics: --

• Lead Changes: 1
• Times Tied: 4

• Arena: Verizon Center, Washington, DC
• Officials: #24 Tony Dawkins, #35 Billy Smith, #42 Roy Gulbeyan
• Attendance: 9483
• Duration: 1:53