SEATTLE — Camille Little scored a season-high 18 points to help the Seattle Storm beat the Minnesota Lynx 72-69 Sunday night and move into sole possession of second place in the Western Conference.
Tanisha Wright scored on a drive to give the Storm a 70-69 lead with 10.3 seconds left, their first lead since late in the third quarter.
“It was drawn up the same exact way we did it,” Wright said of the winning basket. “We had run the same play two possessions before that and I missed the layup. I figured I’d take it in and hope to get fouled.”
The Lynx had a chance to go ahead, but Little drew a charging foul against Candice Wiggins with 3.7 seconds remaining. Wright made two free throws for the final margin.
“It was awesome,” Wright said of the charge. “I was more excited about that than I was about my score. It was a great play. If we’re going to hang our hats on defense, you’ve got to be able to smile about that and be excited.”
The charging call didn’t give Minnesota coach Jennifer Gillom anything to smile about.
“You know, it was questionable,” Gillom said. “I’ll just have to watch the film and determine from there. I don’t want to say it was a bad call until I watch it on film. I could be wrong. I didn’t have a good angle on it. But of course the coach is going to think it was a foul (on Seattle).”
Wright had 15 points and Swin Cash 14 points and nine rebounds for Seattle (10-6), which snapped a two-game home losing streak. Janell Burse added a season-high 14 points.
“Everybody looks at our team and we have three people in the All-Star Game and I think all are deserving,” Seattle coach Brian Agler said of Lauren Jackson, Sue Bird and Swin Cash. “But the real good teams in this league have more than just a couple of all-stars. There’s other people who are either younger and don’t have the notoriety or they are starting to evolve into being a real good player.”
Jackson missed her second straight game with because of a strained Achilles’ tendon. Jackson also sat out against Sacramento on Friday. She was injured in the third quarter of Wednesday’s home loss to Detroit.
The Australian forward hopes to return Wednesday against Los Angeles. Jackson is averaging 18.9 points and 6.7 rebounds this season.
Before Sunday’s game, Jackson said she feels better every day, even though she still can’t jump.
Roneeka Hodges, Nicky Anosike and Candice Wiggins each had 12 points for Minnesota (9-7).
“That was a very tough loss,” Gillom said. “But I thought our team came out and had a better showing than when we were here last time.”
Minnesota has lost eight straight at Seattle since a win in June 2005. The Storm is 3-0 this season against the Lynx.
Little ignited the Storm rally as she scored four points in the final 1:23 of the game. She had nine points in the first quarter to keep the game close.
“She’s usually outsized, but the one thing you can count on from her is that she is an unbelievable competitor,” Agler said of Little. “She rose to the occasion and made plays.”
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