New York faces Minnesota after Meesseman's 24-point game
Minneapolis; Saturday, 2 p.m. EDT
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Lynx -2; over/under is 165.5
BOTTOM LINE: New York Liberty visits the Minnesota Lynx after Emma Meesseman scored 24 points in the Liberty's 83-77 loss to the Las Vegas Aces.
The Lynx are 16-1 in home games. Minnesota ranks second in the Western Conference with 25.8 defensive rebounds per game led by Napheesa Collier averaging 5.6.
The Liberty are 8-8 in road games. New York averages 86.7 points while outscoring opponents by 5.2 points per game.
Minnesota scores 87.0 points, 5.5 more per game than the 81.5 New York gives up. New York has shot at a 45.6% rate from the field this season, 3.7 percentage points greater than the 41.9% shooting opponents of Minnesota have averaged.
The two teams square off for the third time this season. The Lynx defeated the Liberty 83-71 in their last matchup on Aug. 10. Kayla McBride led the Lynx with 18 points, and Natasha Cloud led the Liberty with 14 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: McBride is averaging 14.8 points and 3.4 assists for the Lynx. Collier is averaging 16.3 points over the last 10 games.
Cloud is averaging 9.9 points and 5.5 assists for the Liberty. Sabrina Ionescu is averaging 20.4 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 44.9% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Lynx: 9-1, averaging 92.1 points, 35.3 rebounds, 24.5 assists, 9.2 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 49.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 76.5 points per game.
Liberty: 4-6, averaging 84.9 points, 32.5 rebounds, 22.5 assists, 6.7 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 86.5 points.
INJURIES: Lynx: Napheesa Collier: out (ankle).
Liberty: Breanna Stewart: out (leg), Nyara Sabally: out (knee).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
5 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Lynx getting along just fine while Collier recovers, with Carrington making seamless arrival
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — After coming so close to the WNBA championship last year, the Minnesota Lynx have picked right up where they left off. They sure weren't satisfied with the status quo, though, as evidenced by their recent acquisition of DiJonai Carrington. The Most Improved Player award winner and All-Defensive First Team selection in 2024 has bolstered the league leader's depth, injected a dose of two-way energy into an already determined club and made a seamless transition after the midseason switch. 'She's been a great addition,' starting forward Bridget Carleton said. 'Playing against her has always been a challenge. She's just feisty, competitive, always wants to win, plays hard every single possession.' Even with superstar Napheesa Collier sidelined by a sprained right ankle, the Lynx haven't missed a beat. They're in first place by six games at 27-5, surging toward the No. 1 overall seed for the playoffs. 'You just want to feel like you're a better team when she comes back into the team, that you've figured some things out, that people are playing with confidence,' associate head coach Eric Thibault said. 'Our group's attitude is right about it. Nobody feels sorry for ourselves or anything like that. We just go out and battle.' Carrington was acquired from the Dallas Wings on Aug. 3 for backup forward Diamond Miller, injured guard Karlie Samuelson and Minnesota's 2027 second-round draft pick.e Miller was the second overall pick in the 2023 draft, so Carrington came at a price. But president of basketball operations and head coach Cheryl Reeve, who's chasing a fifth title with Minnesota, has this team fully in win-now mode with Collier in her prime and an experienced lineup around her led by five-time All-Star shooting guard Kayla McBride, two-time All-Star point guard Courtney Williams and shot-blocking specialist Alanna Smith patrolling the post. 'I'm a winner, and this is a winning organization,' Carrington said. The 5-foot-11 native of San Diego, who played her first four WNBA seasons with the Connecticut Sun, was dealt to Dallas earlier this year. She averaged a career-best 5.1 rebounds in 20 games with the Wings. In three games since the trade, and coincidentally since Collier was injured, Carrington has 40 points, 12 rebounds and six steals. The Lynx take a five-game winning streak into their game on Saturday against the defending champion New York Liberty, whom they've already beaten twice this month in a measure of revenge for their overtime loss in New York last year in the decisive game of the WNBA Finals. In the previous round, when the Lynx beat the Sun in a five-game series, Reeve became enamored by Carrington, who had 17 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and one block in defeat in the decisive game of those semifinals. The chance this summer to acquire a defensive ace on the perimeter who could alleviate some of the burden on McBride as well as provide more scoring off the bench was one the Lynx couldn't miss. 'We felt like we could use a little bit more help as we made this run,' Reeve said. 'If you stay exactly the same, it's really hard to accomplish and get back and get over the hump, so we wanted to keep the group together — but we also thought we needed a little bit more.' Williams and Natisha Hiedeman played with Carrington with the Sun, so there was pre-existing chemistry. Smith was a teammate of Carrington's at Stanford, as well, so they were already close. 'It was like a friend coming home,' Smith said. 'That's kind of how it felt. I was excited. I think she's a piece that's really good for us and only going to help us get to the point we want to get to, which is a championship.' ___ AP WNBA:
Winnipeg Free Press
9 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
New York faces Minnesota after Meesseman's 24-point game
New York Liberty (21-12, 11-3 Eastern Conference) at Minnesota Lynx (27-5, 17-2 Western Conference) Minneapolis; Saturday, 2 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Lynx -2; over/under is 165.5 BOTTOM LINE: New York Liberty visits the Minnesota Lynx after Emma Meesseman scored 24 points in the Liberty's 83-77 loss to the Las Vegas Aces. The Lynx are 16-1 in home games. Minnesota ranks second in the Western Conference with 25.8 defensive rebounds per game led by Napheesa Collier averaging 5.6. The Liberty are 8-8 in road games. New York averages 86.7 points while outscoring opponents by 5.2 points per game. Minnesota scores 87.0 points, 5.5 more per game than the 81.5 New York gives up. New York has shot at a 45.6% rate from the field this season, 3.7 percentage points greater than the 41.9% shooting opponents of Minnesota have averaged. The two teams square off for the third time this season. The Lynx defeated the Liberty 83-71 in their last matchup on Aug. 10. Kayla McBride led the Lynx with 18 points, and Natasha Cloud led the Liberty with 14 points. TOP PERFORMERS: McBride is averaging 14.8 points and 3.4 assists for the Lynx. Collier is averaging 16.3 points over the last 10 games. Cloud is averaging 9.9 points and 5.5 assists for the Liberty. Sabrina Ionescu is averaging 20.4 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 44.9% over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Lynx: 9-1, averaging 92.1 points, 35.3 rebounds, 24.5 assists, 9.2 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 49.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 76.5 points per game. Liberty: 4-6, averaging 84.9 points, 32.5 rebounds, 22.5 assists, 6.7 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 86.5 points. INJURIES: Lynx: Napheesa Collier: out (ankle). Liberty: Breanna Stewart: out (leg), Nyara Sabally: out (knee). ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Calgary Herald
10 hours ago
- Calgary Herald
Calgary Surge use third-quarter surge to power past Edmonton Stingers in CEBL playoff opener
Article content Something for the stars on which to hang their Air Jordans. Article content But a championship for Greg Brown III, Jameer Nelson Jr., Sean 'Rugzy' Miller-Moore & Co.? Article content And the local squad is one step closer to a Canadian Elite Basketball League title after Thursday's home-court clinch of a Western Conference semifinal spot. Article content Article content That after an 103-95 play-in-game victory over the rival Edmonton Stingers at WinSport Event Centre. Article content Article content A third-quarter surge by the home side was the difference in an otherwise tight contest in basketball's brilliant Battle of Alberta. Article content And that sets up the semi right away against the top-team Vancouver Bandits. Article content So, too, is guard Nelson. Article content And clutch veteran Miller-Moore, also a guard, is on the short-list for the CEBL's Canadian Player of the Year. Article content Brown, who finished third in league points with 483, was one of the nation's top blockers, as only the Saskatchewan Rattlers' Jaden Bediako — with 49 — finished with more than Brown's 41. Article content American Nelson has been stellar for the Surge all over the court, after finishing second on the team in scoring in the regular season, while his 57 steals meant a new single-season CEBL standard. Article content Article content Miller-Moore put up 427 points to finish fourth in league scoring but is best known for his timely play as a third-year Surge vet with immense savvy and leadership. Article content Article content Winners of all the CEBL Awards, including coach of the year and clutch player of the year for most target-score winners posted, will be announced next Thursday to kick off the CEBL's 2025 Championship Weekend in Winnipeg. Article content Also on the docket during the awards night at the Metropolitan Entertainment Centre is the naming of the all-CEBL first, second and Canadian teams and the Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award. Article content Then it's onward into CW25, with six teams still in contention for the championship, including the Surge. Article content WHAT'S THE ROAD AHEAD? Article content Thursday's triumph means the Surge now just need three wins in as many games to capture their first-ever CEBL crown.
