Lynx Set Single-Season Franchise Record with 16th Win
 Katie Smith scored 27 points in the win, including six free throws in the final 1:15. Rocky Widner, WNBAE/Getty Images |
Minnesota trailed the Monarchs by 10 points (56-66) with 6:18 remaining before outscoring Sacramento 21-7 to end the game. Lynx guard and WNBA MVP candidate Katie Smith scored a game-high 27 points (7-for-10 FG and 12-for-14 FT), including 16 points in the second half.
Minnesota won the season series against Sacramento (3-to-1), and as a result owns the head-to-head tie-breaker advantage over the Monarchs. The victory gives the Lynx a one-game lead over Sacramento (15-14) for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Entering Sunday, the Lynx trail Seattle (16-11) by one game for the third spot in the Western Conference playoff race, and also hold the head-to-head tie-breaker with the Storm after winning three of four during the regular season. Minnesota is three games off the pace of the conference-leading Houston Comets (18-9).
The Lynx, who have not reached the WNBA postseason in the team's first four years, already have six more victories this year than in the entire 2002 season (10-22). Minnesota has also won the most home games in franchise history (11), which includes a current, team-record seven-game winning streak at Target Center. The team has five games remaining on its 34-game regular-season schedule.
The Lynx host the two-time defending WNBA champion Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday, Aug. 14 at Target Center at 7:00 p.m. Tickets for Thursday's game are available online or by calling 1-877-WNBA-TIX.
