sports
Roman Augustoviz spends Minnesota's winters covering college hockey, specifically the Gophers, and other University of Minnesota sports. During the summer, he writes about the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx, with a dose of U sports sprinkled in. Follow him on Twitter @RomanStrib.
Lynx a fun-loving bunch that wins
Posted by: Roman Augustoviz under Lynx Updated: May 30, 2012 - 12:16 PM
"Every day it is fun" to be a Lynx, Monica Wright said recently. "Every day is such a great experience. It doesn't feel like you are working when you are with a group like this."
Wright is a third-year guard with the Lynx (4-0). A skeptic would brush her comments off as just happy talk, or a nicely wrapped cliche.
But perhaps not, if he or she actually went to a Lynx practice. Media can watch the last 30 minutes of practice and on Tuesday, at the LifeTime Fitness Training Center below Target Center, the Lynx took on a men's team of former college players.
The Lynx were preparing for their next game, Wednesday at Washington, and practicing late-game situations.
On one play, Maya Moore soared over a 6-4 guy after a missed free throw, and tipped the ball in. She whooped it up and her teammates ran to her to celebrate, too. The defender walked over to the sideline and shrugged to another guy on the bench and tried to explain what happened. He said he had her blocked out. Ya, right.
A minute or so later, it was Wright, hustling downcourt on a fastbreak who made a game-winning play. She pulled up in the lane from about 12 feet, squared her body to the rim and drained a silky-smooth jumper as the buzzer sounded.
Again whoops and cheers. And Candice Wiggins, the team's energizer bunny, started jumping around.
It sure looked like a fun practice, just as Wright claims all of them are.
But there was more. The practice ended with a few words from coach Cheryl Reeve. With the players in a big circle around her, Reeve finished by saying someone had a birthday.
And the players sang happy birthday to assistant trainer Keith Uzpen, who also was in the circle as always. Then the players formed a tunnel, which Uzpen ran through, as players good-naturedly tried to swat him on the butt. Everybody was laughing.
Said a TV cameraman: "You don't see that at a Timberwolves practice."
HIGH DRAMA IN L.A.
Kristi Toliver made history on Tuesday night.
The L.A. point guard committed a record 14 turnovers -- the Sparks had 28 total -- against visiting Tulsa at the Staples Center. She looked pretty glum after her last errant pass.
The Shock, now 0-4, seemed to have its first victory in hand, leading 75-71 with 16.7 seconds left after Temeka Johnson made two free throws.
But Toliver kept her wits. She scored on a rebound with 7.4 seconds and then, after Tulsa's Karima Christmas missed two free throws with 6.6 seconds, Toliver hit a three-pointer at the buzzer.
Wow. The Shock looked, uh, shocked. But they remained around their bench as officials reviewed Toliver's shot, making sure her feet were behind the arc. They were.
Toliver finished with 16 points. L.A. (4-1) stayed close by making all 23 free throws the Sparks attempted.
Tulsa was only 20 of 28 from the free throw line. Five of those misses came in the last 2:03 of the game. Argh. Rookie Riquna Williams led the Shock with 19 points.
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