Insider Preview - Storm vs. Minnesota

More impressive than the Lynx's record is the team's point differential. Minnesota has outscored its opponents by 3.5 points per game this season, second only to the 13-5 Connecticut Sun. Not only have the Lynx enjoyed double-digit victories over Detroit, Los Angeles, New York and San Antonio, Minnesota has not lost by double-figures all season long. Every other team in the WNBA has suffered at least two double-digit losses.

The win over the Sparks was the most recent, coming last Thursday in Los Angeles. The Lynx are the third straight Seattle Storm opponent to come to Seattle off of a win at the STAPLES Center. Minnesota took a one-point lead to the final quarter before outscoring the Sparks 32-15 over the final 10 minutes of an 88-70 victory. The 18-point margin was the largest ever for the Lynx on the road.

Winning in L.A. and being in the midst of the playoff race is heady stuff for a team that went 10-24 each of the last two seasons. Minnesota has stockpiled talent via the draft. In 2006 No. 1 overall pick Seimone Augustus, the Lynx has a legitimate superstar and one of the league's most dangerous offensive weapons. Last year, Minnesota added guards Lindsey Harding and Noelle Quinn.

This year's rookie crop might be the best yet. With the third overall pick, the Lynx took Stanford guard Candice Wiggins, who has been a super sixth woman as a rookie. Wiggins is averaging 17.2 points, 3.6 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game and leads the WNBA in free throws made and attempted.

Minnesota also found valuable contributors in both the second and third round, getting Tennessee center Nicky Anosike and UConn forward Charde Houston. Anosike has started all 17 games, averaging 8.5 points and 6.5 rebounds. Anosike has particularly excelled at the defensive end of the floor, ranking second in the WNBA in steals per game (2.2) and ninth in blocks (1.3). Houston has offered valuable minutes as a reserve and is averaging 8.1 points.

Behind Augustus and Wiggins, the WNBA's second highest-scoring duo, the Lynx boast an extremely potent offense. Minnesota is averaging 103.4 points per 100 possessions, ranking second in the league behind Phoenix. In particular, the Lynx have excelled at getting to the free-throw line and taking care of the basketball. Minnesota has attempted more free throws than any other team in the league and is second in terms of percentage of possessions that end in turnovers (14.9 percent).

At the other end of the floor, the Lynx have been more inconsistent. Minnesota often will play lineups with small power forwards, including Houston and Kristen Rasmussen, that are not as strong on the perimeter as the starting frontcourt of Anosike and Nicole Ohlde. The Lynx defense has also been vulnerable to good passing. Atlanta and Phoenix are the two teams with a higher ratio of opponent assists to field goals made than Minnesota.

The Storm has taken advantage of a friendly schedule to win three of the last four games over a span of two full weeks. The leisurely pace has given the Storm a chance to practice regularly and continue learning Head Coach Brian Agler's systems at both ends of the floor. That culminated Thursday in a strong effort at both ends in an 84-71 win over New York. Now, the schedule gets tighter, with the Storm having only yesterday's practice to prepare for the Lynx. The Storm will likely be without center Ashley Robinson tonight after Robinson rolled her right ankle in Thursday's win.

KEY MATCHUP
	After a phenomenal career at Stanford capped by a trip to the Final Four and a remarkable NCAA Tournament run, Wiggins has carried that success over to the WNBA immediately. Playing both guard positions, she has been at her best off the dribble, getting into the lane and drawing fouls. Her field-goal percentage (40.2 percent) has been low, but the free throws have more than made up for it. The goal for the Storm will be to make Wiggins a jumpshooter, but that is difficult to do. Tanisha Wright, the Storm's sixth woman, may be tasked with defending Wiggins much of the night as the Storm's perimeter stopper.

The Storm defeated Minnesota 81-67 at KeyArena last Aug. 14. Nursing a three-point lead heading to the fourth quarter, the Storm outscored the Lynx 31-20 in the final period to pull away for the victory. It was a balanced scoring effort for the Storm, which got double-figure scoring from four players. By contrast, only five different Minnesota players scored at all in the game. Lauren Jackson led the way with 18 points and nine boards, while Wendy Palmer came off the bench to score a season-high 13. Augustus led the Lynx with 28 points.

INJURIES

Storm - Center Ashley Robinson (tweaked right ankle) is day-to-day.

Minnesota - None.