Lynx roll over Storm 79-55 without Augustus - KMSP-TV

The Lynx took one step closer to a WNBA record with their 79-55 win over Seattle at Target Center on Wednesday night. They sent a message to the rest of the league as they dominated the Storm without their best player Seimone Augustus who was held out of the game with a leg injury that head coach Cheryl Reeve described as muscular.

``I told Seimone, `it must feel good that we really don't need you,''' joked Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve. ``It felt good for Maya and Wiggins because our thing was when we're a man down we've got to man up. We didn't want to have any heroes. We were going to do it as a team and cover for Seimone.''

Without Augustus in the lineup, the Lynx proved the depth that has been talked about as the strength of this team was a little more than just talk. Taj McWilliams-Franklin started strong on the offensive end of the floor, setting the tone for her best offensive game of the season as she led the team with 17 points. She was a perfect 8-for-8 from the field in just under 20 minutes of action. Rookie sensation Devereaux Peters continued to build on her stron start adding 14 points and dishing four assists off the bench.

The Lynx jumped out to a great start, leading 17 after the first quarter, holding the Storm to only eight points. They led by 13 at the half, their sixth game out of eight played where the team has a double-digit advantage at the mid-way point. Most impressively, the team continues their white hot shooting from the field. It is extremely easy when you shoot nearly 55 percent from the field, and that is a big reason this team is undefeated.

The Storm made a run after trailing by 13 at the half and cut the lead to seven on a Tina Thompson three pointer. They would get no closer as the Lynx closed the third quarter on a 18-5 run. The play of the night came on the first offensive posession of the fourth quarter when Candice Wiggins found McWilliams-Franklin on an alley oop that stretched the lead to 21. Wiggins played huge scoring 12 points on 4-for-7 from three-point range. She also pulled down a team high six rebounds and dished a pair of assists, including the alley to Taj's oop.

With the win the Lynx remain undefeated and move one game closer to the WNBA record of 9-0 to start the season set by the 2001 and 2003 Los Angeles Sparks. The Lynx hit the road Saturday as they travel to Tulsa to face the Shock.