She scored 26 points, making 11 of 19 shots. She grabbed 11 rebounds and had three assists, making her the first player in team history to have multiple 25-point, 10-rebound performances in the playoffs. It was, Collier said, the law of averages.
“I think they were normal shots I usually make,” the former University of Connecticut standout said of her shooting in the first two games of the series. “In crunch time I had to be aggressive, especially in the paint at one end and in coverage on the other. I knew I had to get up and pressure.”
The Lynx put the pressure on the Sun and put themselves on the cusp of a return to the Finals by finding their offensive rhythm without losing their defensive resolve.
They shot 57.4%, which is rather incredible considering they went 5-for-15 on threes. That means the Lynx hit 30 of 46 two-point shots. Four of five starters were in double figures, eight players scored four points or more, the Lynx bench outscored Sun reserves 16-4.
The Sun? they shot 41.1% and — with Mabrey going 1-for-11 from behind the arc — made only three of 20 three-pointers.
The Lynx have won two in a row since opening the series with a loss. A report surfaced Friday that Reeve had confronted Sun players for excessive celebration after that game. Asked about it Friday, Reeve chalked it up to competitive coaches and players in a competitive playoff series. Courtney Williams — Robin to Collier’s Batman on Friday — said she didn’t even see it. Connecticut coach Stephanie White shrugged it off. Neither Alyssa Thomas (13 points, nine rebounds, seven assists) nor Brionna Jones (21 points) commented.
First appeared on www.startribune.com