The Sky looks to make it two wins in a row as they host the Western Conference’s Minnesota Lynx. The Sky swept the 2007 season series with the Lynx and are 3-1 against Minnesota all-time. Tonight’s game will feature two of the top three 2008 WNBA Draft picks: the Sky’s Sylvia Fowles and Candice Wiggins of the Lynx. Both players led their college teams (LSU and Stanford) to this year’s NCAAW Final Four and should provide lots of on-court excitement tonight!
Last season Candice Dupree torched the Lynx, averaging 22.5 points and 8 rebounds, and has a career average of 19.5 points per game against Minnesota. Armintie Price is coming off one of her best games as a pro. In last Thursday’s win over Sacramento, Price scored 22 points and made good on 9 field goals, both career highs, to go along with her perfect night from the charity stripe, where she was 4-for-4.
The Lynx will be without the first pick in the 2007 WNBA Draft, Lindsey Harding, who is out with a stress fracture in her left patella, an injury suffered on April 24 while playing for USA Basketball’s National Women’s Team in China. Minnesota normally goes as far as star forward Seimone Augustus is able to lead them. She scored 25 points in an overtime win at Houston on Tuesday night. But the rookies are coming on strong for Minnesota: rookie forward Charde Houston, out of UConn, put up 21 points on 9 of 12 shooting in 16 minutes of play in her first game in the WNBA. Rookie center Nicky Anosike (Tennessee) is averaging 15.5 points per game after 2 games, and Wiggins is averaging 12. The Lynx also acquired veteran guard Anna DeForge from the Indiana Fever during off-season
Marquee Matchups
Price vs. Augustus
One of the league’s best lock-down defenders in Price will match-up against one of the WNBA’s most dangerous scorers in Augustus. Neither player can afford to take a possession off tonight -- if they do, their opponent will pounce. Both Price and Augustus are among the league’s most dominant young players.
Perkins vs. DeForge
Two crafty veterans will spar in this matchup. Perkins has the ability to take a game over on the offensive side of the ball with her jump shooting. DeForge will look to get her teammates more involved and lock down on the defensive end.
Fowles vs. Anosike
Both rookies are very familiar with one another from their years playing against each other for LSU and Tennessee. You will have no problem locating either of these players on the floor as Anosike stands 6’4” and Fowles checks in at 6’6”. Both players will look to control the boards on both ends of the floor. Whoever controls the boards generally wins the game, so keep your eyes on these two.
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