Moriah Jefferson recorded her first career triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and a career-best 10 assists to help power the Minnesota Lynx past the Dallas Wings 92-64 on Tuesday night in Minneapolis.
Jefferson, waived by the Wings earlier this season, grabbed her final rebound in the closing seconds against her former team.
Aerial Powers scored 13 of her game-high 20 points in the opening quarter to help lead the Lynx (6-14) to their third win in their last four outings.
Damiris Dantas scored 11 and Sylvia Fowles 10 in a Commissioner’s Cup win.
Dallas (9-11) never got on track and lost its second consecutive game.
Arike Ogunbowale, named to the WNBA All-Star Game earlier in the day, used a strong second half to finish with 16 points for Dallas. Veronica Burton scored 11.
Rebounding was key for the Lynx, who held a 53-30 edge to avenge last month’s 94-78 loss to the Wings. Natalie Achonwa grabbed 13 rebounds. That effort helped lead to 25 second-chance points.
The Lynx kicked off their six-game homestand firing on all cylinders, especially from 3-point distance.
Powers fueled the attack, going 3-for-3 from 3-point range as the Lynx stormed in front 33-11 after one quarter.
Their only 3-point miss of the period, on eight attempts, was an open look by Rachel Banham with 3 seconds to go.
Dallas hit only one 3-pointer in the opening quarter and 5 of 16 in the game.
Banham made Minnesota’s eighth 3-pointer of the night with 8:09 to play in the half, extending the Lynx lead to 36-14.
The Wings went a little more than four minutes without scoring in the second, ending the drought when Ogunbowale made two free throws to make the score 44-20 with 2:32 left.
The Lynx never cooled off and stretched their lead to 30 when Fowles converted a steal into an easy layup for a 50-20 advantage. They led 50-24 at halftime and limited Dallas to just two field goals in the final 6:47 of the half.
The 24 points were the fewest Minnesota has given up in any half this season.
Minnesota made 12 of 29 3-pointers in all, including Bridget Carleton’s with 7:30 left to push the lead to 78-52. She has made at least one 3-pointer in nine consecutive games.
–Field Level Media
