Lynx click, Shock sputter in deciding fourth quarter

The Lynx pulled away from Tulsa in the fourth quarter on Tuesday, outscoring the Shock 31-13 at the BOK Center. The final score was 107 -- the highest point total in the league this season -- to 86. The rematch is at noon Thursday at Target Center.

So what happened in the final quarter?

"Our defense really picked up and we were able to make some shots," Lynx guard Lindsay Whalen said. "Overall, defensively we were able to get some stops and really make some things happen."

Candice Wiggins scored 17 of her 25 points in the fourth quarter when she was six of seven from the field. She made all four of her shots from behind the arc. Said Tulsa coach Gary Kloppenburg: "Wiggins really stepped up big -- hit some big threes in the quarter."

The Shock seem to know what they have to do better.

"Defensively, we need to pick it up a little bit," Tulsa forward Kayla Pedersen said. "We weren't communicating that well. We weren't on the same wavelength as far as our rotations and where we need to be."

Lynx veteran Seimone Augustus summed up the Tulsa trip this way: "It was a day that we enjoyed as well because we finished the game early and we get to go back home and get some rest before we play Tulsa again in a few days."

* Tulsa scored on eight consecutive possessions in the third quarter to get within 68-67. It was a 19-10 run.... The Lynx blew the game open in the fourth quarter, scoring on seven possessions in a row, to go ahead 96-79. That was a 16-2 run.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

* Connecticut made its first 11 shots of the game to take a 26-12 lead, then hung on to beat Washington 77-70. The Sun are 13-4, 7-1 on the road.

They were seven of 13 on threes, led by Kara Lawson who made three of five. Said Lawson: "`Our inside game draws so much attention obviously with Tina [Charles] and Asjha [Jones]. ,We know we're going to get open looks and we have to be ready to knock them down.

"We have the green light. I think that's one of the things that's easy. Our coaching staff is never like `don't take that shot, that's a bad shot'. We don't have any voices in our head when we're about to take a shot. We just let it fly."

* Indiana edged the visiting New York Liberty on Tamika Catchings' two free throws with 8.4 seconds left. Catchings had 23 points and teammate Katie Douglas 20. Cappie Pondexter had 33 for the Liberty.

* Los Angeles (14-6) stayed one game behind the Lynx in the West by beating Phoenix 90-71. Candice Parker had 22 points, Nneka Ogwumike had 11 points and both had 14 rebounds for L.A. Point guard Kristi Toliver added 19 points.

Both teams were playing their third game in four days. The Sparks went 3-0, the Mercury 0-3 and suffered another injury. Ex-Lynx forward Charde Houston ledt the game in the second quarter with a knee injury.

The four teams with the best home records are all in the West:

Los Angeles 9-1

San Antonio 6-1