Scouting Report | Lynx vs. Fever

7 p.m., Target Center

Where To Watch: ESPN 2

Where To Listen: 106.1 BOB FM

The Minnesota Lynx are looking to make WNBA history on Tuesday night. The 10-0 Lynx are looking to snap the mark they set in 2012 against the Indiana Fever at the Target Center and advance to 11-0.

There is another team in the mix as well, as the Los Angeles Sparks have started the season out 9-0 and are sitting right behind the Lynx in the standings.

Minnesota is wrapping up a two-game East Coast road trip.

If the playoffs started today, the Indiana Fever would be in, but barely. The Fever are 4-6 overall, good for fourth in the East and tied with Phoenix and Seattle for sixth overall in the league.

The Fever have lost two straight games.

A few tidbits going into Tuesday night’s game:

  • Maya Moore is making her case for MVP (again) by averaging 20.2 points, 4.9 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 46.4 percent from the field.
  • It’s been a pretty even attack for Indiana, as Tiffany Mitchell, Tamika Catchings and Shenise Johnson are all averaging 11.1 or more points per game.
  • The Lynx will have a nice break coming up, as they don’t play until Sunday after Tuesday’s tilt against the Fever.

Coming Off Of…

The Lynx are coming off of an 83-76 road win over the Washington Mystics on Saturday. Seimone Augustus, after missing a game with a head injury, finished with 21 points, shooting 10-for-18 from the field. Center Sylvia Fowles added 18 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Moore had a great all-around game, finishing with 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists and a steal. Renee Montgomery, who started for Lindsay Whalen, added 13 points.

Indiana is coming off of a 90-88 home loss to the Seattle Storm on Sunday night. Catchings turned back the clock and finished with 27 points, six rebounds and two steals while shooting 9-for-14 from the field. Briann January and Johnson scored 15 and 13 points, respectively.

Last Matchup:

The two teams last faced off on May 27 at the Target Center. The Lynx came away with a 74-71 win thanks to 12 points each from Whalen and Augustus. Natasha Howard added 11 off the bench. It wasn’t a great day from long distance for the Lynx, as they shot just 3-for-20 (15 percent).

Mitchell led Indiana with 16 points, while Erica Wheeler added 13. Maggie Lucas led the second unit with 12 points.

It’s worth noting the Lynx led 29-6 after the first quarter, before getting outscored 44-24 in the second half.

Key Matchup: Rebekkah Brunson vs. Tamika Catchings

This could be Catchings’ last game at the Target Center. Catchings is set to retire at the end of the season and she wouldn’t play at the Target Center again unless the two teams meet up in the playoffs.

The future Hall-of-Famer hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, averaging 12.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 45.8 percent from the field (her best mark since 2010).

Catchings will go up against Rebekkah Brunson, who has had quite the career as well.

Brunson is averaging 6.6 points and seven rebounds per game this season, down from her career averages, but coach Cheryl Reeve has also limited Brunson’s minutes to 25.6 per game (her lowest since 2009).

Projected Starters:

MIN: G- Whalen, G- Augustus, F- Moore, F- Brunson, C- Fowles

IND: G- January, G – Johnson, F – Coleman, F – Catchings, C – Larkins