The Lynx won despite having more turnovers than field goals. How? The Stars shot 26%. Yikes.
Jessie and Steve write in with this report from the sidelines:
A low-scoring, amateurish-looking first half turned into a low-scoring defensive showdown as the Lynx fought away from the Stars at the Target Center. Much of the first half saw the Stars orient play around the long Pole Margo Dydek, who had destroyed the Lynx when the teams met in Texas; the Lynx responded with their tallest lineup, sending Nicole Ohlde and Michelle Van Gorp out together. Van Gorp responded with the best game I have ever seen her play, with 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting--even more impressive than her stat line indicates, since a couple of those field goals from around the free throw line, rather than the layups we expect from her. Ohlde looked intimidated and tired, missing half her free throws, but scored 12 points with 9 rebounds and 2 blocks anyway. Large Marge scored six points, all in the first half, but was a non-factor on the glass as the Lynx dominated first-half rebounding, 21-9 (!); free throws and turnovers kept San Antonio in it for a first-half tie.
The second half saw more cold shooting from both teams, but fewer silly mistakes; San Antonio stuck with starting center Jessie Hicks, and the Lynx spent some time with an odd lineup-- Darling at 1, Jacobs at 2, Lovelace-Tolbert (and then back to Ohlde) at the 5. Darling proved an aggressive defender-- still not sure she can run our offense, though. The teams bruised and beat each other to a 45-point draw; then Katie Smith (cold for almost the hole game) showed up -- two free throws, a sharp three-point shot (while drawing a foul, though she missed the free throw!), and a Tamika Williams layup from good position (the only shot she attempts, I swear) made it 53-45 to seal the game.
I'm told the 6,000-odd crowd looked thin on TV, but it looked OK (and sounded loud enough) from the stands; a weeknight game meant far fewer little kids, which perhaps meant fewer blocks of kids in the cheap seats for the cameras to cut away on. Several T-Wolves, including Sam I Am and Big Ollie, watched the game from courtside.
Thanks for the report.
Jessie and Steve write in with this report from the sidelines:
A low-scoring, amateurish-looking first half turned into a low-scoring defensive showdown as the Lynx fought away from the Stars at the Target Center. Much of the first half saw the Stars orient play around the long Pole Margo Dydek, who had destroyed the Lynx when the teams met in Texas; the Lynx responded with their tallest lineup, sending Nicole Ohlde and Michelle Van Gorp out together. Van Gorp responded with the best game I have ever seen her play, with 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting--even more impressive than her stat line indicates, since a couple of those field goals from around the free throw line, rather than the layups we expect from her. Ohlde looked intimidated and tired, missing half her free throws, but scored 12 points with 9 rebounds and 2 blocks anyway. Large Marge scored six points, all in the first half, but was a non-factor on the glass as the Lynx dominated first-half rebounding, 21-9 (!); free throws and turnovers kept San Antonio in it for a first-half tie.
The second half saw more cold shooting from both teams, but fewer silly mistakes; San Antonio stuck with starting center Jessie Hicks, and the Lynx spent some time with an odd lineup-- Darling at 1, Jacobs at 2, Lovelace-Tolbert (and then back to Ohlde) at the 5. Darling proved an aggressive defender-- still not sure she can run our offense, though. The teams bruised and beat each other to a 45-point draw; then Katie Smith (cold for almost the hole game) showed up -- two free throws, a sharp three-point shot (while drawing a foul, though she missed the free throw!), and a Tamika Williams layup from good position (the only shot she attempts, I swear) made it 53-45 to seal the game.
I'm told the 6,000-odd crowd looked thin on TV, but it looked OK (and sounded loud enough) from the stands; a weeknight game meant far fewer little kids, which perhaps meant fewer blocks of kids in the cheap seats for the cameras to cut away on. Several T-Wolves, including Sam I Am and Big Ollie, watched the game from courtside.
Thanks for the report.
posted by Ted at 5:59 AM
