Lynx Break Own Record For Best Start In WNBA History
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Maya Moore scored 16 points to help the Minnesota Lynx break their own WNBA record with an 11th straight victory to start the season in an 87-63 win over the Indiana Fever on Tuesday night.
The Lynx (11-0) surpassed their 2012 team that won the first 10 games.
Seimone Augustus added 12 points while Sylvia Fowles and Jia Perkins had 11 each for Minnesota, which is the unanimous choice as the No. 1 team in the AP WNBA power poll.
It was the fifth consecutive game Minnesota has had at least four players score in double figures.
"It's just a team on a mission," Indiana coach Stephanie White said about Minnesota. "I think the biggest factor for them, since last year, is adding Sylvia inside. She's so dominant inside."
Fowles was 4 of 7 from the field and grabbed eight rebounds as Minnesota shot 49 percent.
"The level and consistency of their play is really tremendous," White added. "And the depth on their roster has only gotten better. Now they have scorers coming off the bench with that big anchor in the post. They're balanced and they share the ball well. They're a complete team."
Minnesota had 21 assists on 32 field goals and its bench scored 34 points.
Erlana Larkins scored 12 points with nine rebounds to lead the eighth-ranked Fever (4-7), who lost their third straight. Indiana was held to 23-of-67 shooting (34 percent).
On May 27, in their first meeting since the 2015 WNBA Finals, Minnesota led Indiana 29-6 in the first quarter before holding on for a 74-71 win.
This time it was different as Minnesota built a big early lead and was never really threatened.
The Lynx went on a 14-0 run, capped by Perkins' 3-pointer, to take a 43-21 lead midway through the second quarter. Minnesota was ahead 49-31 at halftime and started the second half on a 13-4 run for a 62-35 lead. Moore had six points in the third-quarter run.
"I told them I really enjoyed watching our practice yesterday which was outstanding, shootaround was great and application stuff during the game was really, really good," Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said.
Minnesota has won its past 11 regular-season meetings with Indiana. The 24-point margin was the Lynx's largest in the series.
The Lynx travel to Seattle on Sunday before consecutive games against Los Angeles. Minnesota will need to win all three to top the team record of 13 straight victories, which spanned the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
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