MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – JULY 15, 2016 – The New York Liberty had its four-game winning streak snapped with a 88-70 loss to the Minnesota Lynx on Friday night at the Target Center.
Tina Charles led the way for New York (16-7), posting her team-leading 12th double-double of the season with 15 points and 14 rebounds, but the Liberty was never able to fully find its rhythm on the offensive end of the floor.
Turnovers made the difference in the first half, with the Liberty giving it away eight times while the Lynx (18-4) took great care of the basketball, failing to turn it over even once through the first 20 minutes of action.
Those eight points off Liberty turnovers helped the Lynx build a 43-36 cushion at the half and meant every time New York was able to string together solid possessions, Minnesota answered right back.
Coming out of the half, Minnesota scored on its first two possessions, Maya Moore then Seimone Augustus, building an 11-point lead, its largest of the game. Behind Carolyn Swords the Liberty managed to keep pace, pulling back within seven, but never any closer as the Lynx steadily added to the lead, going up by as many as 16 in the period.
A Renee Montgomery triple early in the fourth quarter, followed by a pullup jumper on the break put the Lynx up by 19, leading to a New York timeout. That was part of what turned into a 9-0 Minnesota run to open the period, as the Lynx took a 77-54 lead on an Augustus baseline drive to put the game out of reach.
Shavonte Zellous shot 4-of-5 from the field to finish with 11 points, also racking up a team-high four assists. Swords and Brittany Boyd each finished with eight for New York. Augustus scored a game-high 20 points, while Moore added 15.
The Liberty returns to action at Madison Square Garden on Sunday afternoon when it hosts the Connecticut Sun, tipoff is at 3 p.m.
GAME NOTES
• Tina Charles recorded her 12th double-double of the year with 15 points and 14 rebounds
• Sugar Rodgers entered the game averaging 16.0 ppg and 3.0 3FG per game but was 0-of-1 from the field and did not attempt a three
• Minnesota did not commit a turnover during the first half of play and won the points off turnover battle 15-6
• The Lynx win the season series against New York 2-1
• The Liberty continued to see strong production from its second unit, with the bench providing 39 points on Friday