Lynx turn up their threes, shoot down Comets

The Lynx's first basket of the game Saturday was a three-pointer by guard Anna DeForge, and the second-worst shooting WNBA team from behind the 20-foot, 6-inch arc kept shooting from out there.

This couldn't have been in Houston's scouting report.

The Lynx made 10 three-pointers of 20 attempts -- both season highs -- in defeating the Comets 85-71 before an announced crowd of 6,495 at Target Center.

Seimone Augustus had 27 points to lead the Lynx (10-10). DeForge scored 17, going 5-for-5 on threes. Also in double figures were rookies Nicky Anosike and Candice Wiggins with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Anosike, a 6-2 center, also had 10 rebounds for her second double-double this season.

"When players and when teams make shots, I think it gives them energy on the other end of the floor as well," Lynx coach Don Zierden said. "And tonight we made some shots that we haven't been able to make in some other games."

On defense, the Lynx had 11 steals, six by Anosike, and blocked three shots.

Michelle Snow led Houston (9-12) with 14 points, while Tina Thompson, who will play for the U.S. Olympic team next month with Augustus, was limited to 12 points in the Comets' third consecutive loss, all on the road.

Thompson took only eight shots, making four, including two long threes.

Augustus was much more involved. She made 12 of 17 shots from the floor, including three three-pointers.

"Coach Z talked to me about being aggressive," Augustus said, "and reminded me that when I was aggressive in L.A. [in a recent road victory], it opened things up for my teammates."

It did especially for DeForge, a seven-year veteran who this season made her 300th three-pointer. Her five threes tied a career high.

"When the first couple go in, you just want to keep looking at the rim, keeping aggressive," DeForge said. "Offensively, we stayed disciplined, executed and shared the ball really well."

The victory matched the Lynx's season total of 10 the past two years, and kept Minnesota in the fourth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference -- for now.