Reigning champs Minnesota Lynx open season with road victory, topple Mystics 89-77
The reigning WNBA champions opened the regular season with a win on the road in Washington, D.C. However, the 89-77 victory did not come easy as the Mystics nipped at the heels of the Lynx for much of the game after being down by as much 17 with 1:34 to go in the first quarter.
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Points in the Paint: Lynx 44, Mystics 26 Officials: #55 Eric Brewton, #21 Byron Jarrett, #11 Lauren Holtkamp |
While Washington rookie Stefanie Dolson put the Mystics within striking distance with three jumpers at the beginning of the second quarter including a trey that narrowed the Lynx lead to eight at 7:50, her team succumbed and started their home campaign with a loss.
For the Lynx, Maya Moore finished with 34 points plus nine rebounds. She scored 21 of those points in the first half. Seimone Augustus added 24 points. Lindsay Whalen neared a triple-double as she scored 10 points, pulled down eight rebounds and dished out eight assists.
Veteran guard Ivory Latta led Washington with 25 points and distributed five assists. Tierra Ruffin-Pratt added 17 points and eight rebounds.
Minnesota returns home to face Connecticut on Sunday. Washington heads to Indiana next Friday, May 23.
Other results around the league from Friday:
- Chicago Sky 74, Indiana Fever 71
- Atlanta Dream 79, San Antonio Stars 75
- New York Liberty 75, Connecticut Sun 54
- Los Angeles Sparks 80, Seattle Storm 69
