Moore Scores 25 To Lead Lynx Past Fever
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Lynx had just one offensive rebound on, and it couldn't have come at a better time.
Maya Moore scored 11 of her 25 points in the fourth quarter and had a huge put-back down the stretch to lead the Lynx to an 83-77 victory over the Indiana Fever on Sunday.
Midway through the fourth quarter the Lynx still didn't have an offensive rebound, while the Fever had 11 -- which helped them stay in the game despite shooting just 37 percent from the floor. Clinging to a one-point lead with 4 minutes to play, the Lynx finally got the bounce they needed.
Seimone Augustus misfired on a jump shot, but the rebound caromed straight off the back rim to Moore, who was crashing the lane. She tipped it in to put Minnesota ahead 71-68, and the Lynx held on to complete a second-half comeback.
Augustus and Lindsay Whalen each scored 16 for the Lynx (11-4), who shot 57 percent from the floor but struggled with turnovers and perimeter defense in the first half.
Indiana scored 11 points off 13 Minnesota turnovers, and a flurry of 3-pointers gave the Fever a 41-35 lead at the break.
Minnesota turned it over just six times in the second half and held the Fever to 3 for 13 from beyond the arc after halftime.
Karima Christmas scored 18 points to lead Indiana (6-6). Shavonte Zellous and Briann January added 16 points each.
Indiana star Tamika Catchings (back) has yet to play this season.
Zellous hit two 3s and Christmas added another during a 12-0 run just before halftime.
The Lynx regained the lead late in the third quarter on a turnaround jumper by Moore, and went ahead for good at 69-67 on a pair of free throws by Whalen.
Minnesota won its second straight and split a string of six games in 10 days.
Minnesota used a 10-0 run to take a 29-18 lead midway through the second quarter. The Fever responded with a four-point play by January and a 3-pointer by Maggie Lucas to pull with four.
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