Indiana was charged with the unenviable task of taking down an undefeated team as they took on the defending champion Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday night in the Twin City. The Fever appeared to be outmatched in this one as they were never able to build any momentum in an 87-63 loss to the Lynx.
Minnesota got off to a hot start early, clicking on all cylinders as they took double-digit lead into the second quarter. Indiana would allow a 14-0 run midway through the second period, leading to a 22-point deficit that would ultimately prove to be insurmountable.
The Fever struggled through another distressed shooting effort from the field. Indiana only managed to cash in on 34% of their shots attempts on the night, marking the fourth consecutive game in which they shot 40% or below. The long-range shot continued to betray the Fever as they went 3-of-20 from distance.
Coach White addressed their shooting woes postgame. “We know we have to shoot the ball better. If you want to win in this league, you can’t put that much pressure on your defense – especially against a team like Minnesota who has so many weapons and you have to almost play a perfect defensive game, anyway.”
Frontcourt ladies Erlana Larkins and Lynetta Kizer were the only bright spots on the court for the road team. The two bigs each scored in double-figures, connecting on eight of their 10 attempts. Larkins also pulled down a game-high nine boards, managing to play her game effectively in the losing effort.
Minnesota issued a balance scoring attack that was led by their superstar forward, Maya Moore, who led all scorers with 16 points to go along with her eight rebounds.
Tuesday’s contest was the second between the two teams to this point in the season, with Minnesota taking commanding leads early in both games. Tuesday’s win was an historic victory for the Lynx as they set a new record for the most consecutive wins to begin a WNBA season with an 11-0 start.
“They play really, really well together. But what do you expect when you’ve got four great Olympians playing together for so long, and so many other great pieces helping out. They’re a really good team,” stated Fever legend Tamika Catchings.
Indiana will look to regroup and snap their three game losing streak in San Antonio on Friday when they take on the Stars.