Mitchell Hansen
Web Editorial Associate
Twitter
7 p.m., Xcel Energy Center
Where to Watch: ESPN2
Where to Listen: 106.1 BOB FM
The Minnesota Lynx look to get back on track after last Saturday’s loss when they host the Washington Mystics on Friday night at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
The Lynx come into the game at 9-1 overall and are in first in the WNBA. The Mystics enter at 7-4 on the season and are tied for third in the WNBA.
Here are a few tidbits entering Friday night’s game:
- The quartet of Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson, Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen currently have 120 wins together and have a chance to tie Tamecka Dixon, Lisa Leslie, Mwadi Mabika and DeLisha Milton-Jones (121 wins with the L.A. Sparks) for most wins as a quartet in WNBA history.
- Brunson (3,055) needs 15 rebounds to tie Tina Thompson (3,070) for third on the WNBA all-time rebounding list.
- Minnesota is first in the league in points per game (87.3) and are first in fewest points allowed (75.3) per game.
Coming Off Of…
Minnesota is coming off of a 98-93 loss to the Connecticut Sun on Saturday in St. Paul.
Moore led the way with 22 points, four assists and four rebounds. Renee Montgomery had 17 points and three assists, Whalen had 15 points and three assists, Augustus had 13 points and four assists, Sylvia Fowles had 12 points and seven rebounds and Brunson had 11 points, five assists and four rebounds.
Washington is coming off of 87-83 loss to the Dallas Wings on Sunday in the nation’s capital.
Tayler Hill had 21 points and four assists and Tierra Ruffin-Pratt had 15 points and six rebounds to lead the Mystics. Elena Delle Donne had 14 points and four assists, Tianna Hawkins had 13 points and seven rebounds and Krystal Thomas had 10 points and five rebounds.
Last Matchup
Minnesota holds a 1-0 season series advantage over Washington this season, with the first matchup coming on June 9 in the nation’s capital. The Lynx came away with a 98-73 win in that game.
For the Lynx, Fowles finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in the win. Moore had 17 points and six assists, Brunson had 17 points and six rebounds, Augustus had 14 points and three assists, Montgomery had 13 points and five assists and Plenette Pierson added seven points off the bench.
Hill led the way for the Mystics with 20 points. Ivory Latta had 15 points, Hawkins had seven points and four rebounds, Toliver had seven points and five rebounds and Asia Taylor added six points and seven rebounds coming off the bench.
Friday’s game is the second of three games between Minnesota and Washington during the regular season. The third and final game will come on Sept. 3 in St. Paul, which is Minnesota’s regular season finale.
Key Matchup: Rebekkah Brunson vs. Elena Delle Donne
One matchup to keep an eye on Friday night comes between Minnesota’s Rebekkah Brunson and Washington’s Elena Delle Donne.
This season, Brunson is averaging 11.6 points, 6.9 rebounds (tied for 10th in WNBA), 1.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
Delle Donne, in her first season with the Mystics, is averaging 20.4 points (4th in WNBA), 6.7 rebounds (tied for 13th in WNBA), 1.6 assists and 1.6 blocks (5th in WNBA) per game.
Injuries
Washington: Emma Meesseman (personal) is out.
Minnesota: No injuries to report.
Projected Starters
Washington: PG – Toliver, SG – Hill, SF – Ruffin-Pratt, PF – Delle Donne, C – Thomas
Minnesota: PG – Whalen, SG – Augustus, SF – Moore, PF – Brunson, C – Fowles