First game sets a high-octane tone

Seimone Augustus, the WNBA's second-leading scorer a year ago, struggled with her shot on Sunday in the Lynx's season opener. In the past, that would mean almost certain defeat.

Not this time.

The team's three rookies -- Charde Houston, Candice Wiggins and Nicky Anosike -- all scored in double figures and Augustus had 14 points, after going 1-for-7 in the first half, as the Lynx beat Detroit 84-70 before an announced crowd of 9,972 at Target Center.

Houston, a 6-1 forward from Connecticut, scored a game-high 21 points in 16 1/2 minutes. Wiggins had 15 points and Anosike 11.

Detroit, the defending Eastern Conference champion, was coming off a 85-66 rout of the Houston Comets on Saturday afternoon.

"We know Detroit had to play off a back-to-back," second-year Lynx coach Don Zierden said. "I'm not going to stand up here and wave a flag and say we have turned the corner or anything with the program. But I will say this: I think we do play hard. We haven't put in half of our offense. ... We might have run three plays the whole game."

Houston and Wiggins, San Diego basketball legends who have known each other since they were 11-year-olds, scored all of their team's points in a crucial 13-4 Lynx run in the last 2 minutes, 18 seconds of the third quarter.

Houston and Wiggins chest-bumped in excitement as the crowd cheered.

Detroit, which was led by former Lynx Katie Smith's 17 points, seemed deflated after that. Minnesota outscored the Shock 11-2 at the start of the fourth quarter to take control.

"[Wiggins] gets the crowd infectious, she gets her teammates enthused and she just loves to play the game," Zierden said.

Wiggins also had four steals and two assists. Zierden said he expects a similar effort every game from the four-time All-America player at Stanford and the No. 3 pick in the draft.

Houston's big numbers were more of an aberration. Her high at UConn was 15 points last season, when she lost her starting spot. She was the Lynx's third-round pick.

Houston was 5-for-5 from the field in the first half, for 11 points.

"We are not as experienced as other teams," Zierden said, "but we do have energy."

Notes • After the game, the Lynx waived guard Crystal Smith and picked up Sharneé Zoll, a rookie guard from Virginia that Los Angeles cut.

• The Lynx celebrated the start of their 10th season before the opening tipoff. The 130 fans who have owned season tickets since the first season all gathered in one section -- all were in blue T-shirts -- stood and were applauded.