Lynx stomp jolt out of Sparks

BY MIKE PEDEN

While the term "must-win" is generally not used in early season games, the Minnesota Lynx faced that scenario against the Los Angeles Sparks Sunday at Target Center.

A win would mean a weekend split and a serenade to the 10,123 fans in attendance for the Lynx's home opener. A loss would put them at 0-2 and start to raise concerns about team chemistry and capability.

The Lynx delivered big-time with an 86-69 win, snapping their eight-game losing streak against the Sparks while giving Sparks head coach Jennifer Gillom her first loss against the team she helmed at the start of her head coaching career.

Seimone Augustus, who scored a game high 17 points, was eager for payback following Friday's 82-74 loss at Staples Center.

"I didn't even sleep, I didn't eat," she said. "Today was a start. We did a solid job running the offense and getting the ball where we needed to."

Augustus was one of six Lynx (1-1) players to finish in double-figures for scoring. Others included Rebekkah Brunson, who recorded her second double-double of the season with 10 points and 15 rebounds.

"We didn't fall apart or doubt ourselves," she said.

Rookie guard Maya Moore added 16, with 14 in the second half. Although she struggled to find the basket in the first half, she brought Lynx fans to their feet by blocking a three-point shot from Tina Thompson.

Her second highlight came with 6:21 remaining in fourth quarter, when she pump-faked Candace Parker and drained a mid-range jumper.

"(She is) a really tough match-up. Our posts did a good job of trying to make it tough on her," Moore said.

Although Moore has been the face of Minnesota's marketing campaign, she quickly praised the team's unselfishness on the court.

"We all really care about making sure we work well together. That's why this game is so fun," she said.

Good ball control and rebounding meant the Lynx never flirted with disaster after building a lead as large as 23. Minnesota recorded 17 assists and committed 12 turnovers to Los Angeles' 16 and 17, respectively. The Lynx scooped 44 rebounds, with 15 on offense. The Sparks (1-1) finished with just 28 rebounds and five offensive boards.

Los Angeles lost their rhythm in the second half, with Minnesota outscoring them 24-10 in the third quarter. Their leading scorer was Kristi Toliver, who scored 13 points despite playing 10:35 for the game. Parker and Thompson added 11.

The Sparks' fortune could be murky in the short-term, as 14-year veteran Ticha Penicheiro left the game in the third with an ankle injury. An MRI is scheduled Monday.

Minnesota hosts Tulsa on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. Although the Shock struggled in their season opener Saturday against the San Antonio Silver Stars, the Shock beat the Lynx twice last season and could return to play the spoiler role.

"We have to keep that mindset of people trying to take it away from us," Moore said.

"We're starting to settle in our offense, settle in our defense. The future's bright," Augustus said.

ALSO

Mike Peden gets a few words with Los Angeles Sparks veteran DeLisha Milton-Jones, who reflects on the WNBA's history as the league enters its 15th season. Click play to listen.

Sparks short Lynx for eighth consecutive time

BY MIKE PEDEN

Despite all the hype that surrounded the Minnesota Lynx following the WNBA Draft, when they selected Maya Moore with the first overall pick, the Lynx learned Friday night that their roster is still vulnerable.

Opening the season on the road against the Los Angeles Sparks at Staples Center, the Lynx squandered a 10-point lead in the third quarter, losing 82-74.

Going back to last season, the Lynx (0-1) have lost 10 games after leading by 10 points or more. Minnesota also continued its losing streak against Los Angeles (1-0), now losing their last eight games, with Los Angeles head coach Jennifer Gillom winning five against the team she commandeered when her head coaching career began in 2009.

Candace Parker had a sensational return for the Sparks after missing most of last season with a dislocated shoulder. Parker finished with a double-double, getting 19 points and 10 rebounds, including a driving lay-up with 1:09 left in the game that ultimately clinched a Sparks win. Tina Thompson added 15 points.

The Lynx had a 50-40 lead with 6:43 the third quarter following a Moore three-pointer, but the Sparks found their stroke behind the arc 16 seconds later.

Sparks guard Kristi Toliver ignited the perimeter offense before Noelle Quinn and rookie Jenna O'Hea assumed control, sinking six combined three-pointers in the second half. The Sparks led 59-57 to end the third quarter and did not trail after that, out-shooting the Lynx 47 percent to 41 percent for the game.

However, Moore's professional debut was perhaps the biggest story of the night as the WNBA began its 15th season. She scored 21 points on 7-of-17 from the floor, including four three-pointers, silencing any questions on her integration following two shaky preseason games against Indiana.

Lynx forward Rebekkah Brunson started the season with a double-double after posting a career-high 12 a year ago, with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

The two teams meet again on Sunday when the Lynx host their home opener at Target Center.

WFA Football: Nebraska Stampede vs. Minnesota Machine

TSB Television is continuing its partnership with the Minnesota Machine this season! Check out our coverage of their home game against the Nebraska Stampede at Minnetonka High School's Einer Anderson Stadium! The Machine have two more dates at home scheduled for the regular season: June 11th against the Iowa Xplosion and June 18th against the Wisconsin Wolves. Both games are scheduled at 7:00 p.m at Einer Anderson Stadium.

Learn more by visiting the Machine's website, and send an e-mail to thesportsbrain@gmail.com to purchase a DVD copy of this and future Minnesota Machine games.

TSB Television helps honor contributions to Minnesota's private schools

Continuing our focus on community involvement, TSB Television brought the 3rd Annual Minnesota Private and Independent Education Awards to the airwaves on TV and online! Hosted by St. Catherine University, the awards program run by Minnesota Independent School Forum recognizes contributions made by students and faculty of member schools, which include most of the state's private high schools. Among the honorees was DeLaSalle High School for their Starry Night Prom, an event designed for the disabled community to enjoy what many students take for granted; a student transferred from Haiti following the country's devastating earthquake in 2010, and the first graduating class of Dream Makers scholars, whose sponsors allowed them to cover the costs of attending an MISF member school.

Now you can cheer on the deserving award recipients. Just watch the video!

TSB Television helps celebrate achievement with the University of Minnesota

While TSB has revamped its website to reflect the increase in sports coverage as we add the Minnesota Lynx to the slate, that won't stop us from televising community events.

Earlier this spring, we returned to the University of Minnesota to televise the Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence's 7th Annual Celebration of Achievement. This time, the ceremony was held at Ted Mann Concert Hall, as graduating seniors within the program were the stars of the celebration. While no diplomas were awarded, each senior received a stole to wear at their official graduations for their respective college inside the U of M.

Watch the program below! To find out how you can have your event broadcast, send an e-mail to thesportsbrain@gmail.com.

Prowling with the Minnesota Jaguars

BY MIKE PEDEN

While the Minnesota Lynx made a giant splash Tuesday with their preseason game at Concordia University's Gangelhoff Center, a second Minnesota women's basketball team hosted their home opener at the St. Paul facility Saturday and Sunday.

The Minnesota Jaguars are a women's semi-pro team and new member of the Women's Blue Chip Basketball League. Former Minnesota Golden Gopher Tanisha Gilbert had an integral role in the team's formation, eager to return to her local roots. Coaching the Jaguars and running their front office is Melissa Young, once the head coach of Hamline University's women's basketball team.

The Jaguars started the season winning out at a Miami tournament. After sweeping the Rock County Robins with a 71-66 win on Saturday and a come-from-behind 88-82 win on Sunday, the first-year Jaguars remained distant from the loss column, with their record at 7-0.

While recent talk has surfaced about the relatively low pay of WNBA players compared to their overseas earnings, WBCBL players receive little or no compensation. To save money, teams will schedule back-to-back weekend series against one opponent to limit travel costs.

The lack of paychecks hardly detriments participation. The Jaguars are comprised of former standouts in high school and college whose passion saturates their stream of consciousness. Some are using the Jaguars to stay in shape for professional scouts and agents, including WNBA veteran Tamara Moore and Illinois Fighting Illini star Jenna Smith, who was a second-round pick for the Washington Mystics in the 2010 WNBA Draft only to be waived during training camp. Others hope to get noticed for the first time.

The rules are similar to WNBA games, with 10-minute quarters and a 24-second shot clock. College rules are used for tabulating fouls, which means a team can commit six fouls before placing their opponent in the bonus. However, the biggest difference between WNBA and WBCBL appears before the game tips off. Prior to the playing of the national anthem, all players and coaches meet at center court to join in prayer, reflecting the hopes and wishes of the league's players to better their lives through basketball.

The Jaguars host their second and final weekend series of the WBCBL season July 16th and 17th at Gangelhoff Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. both days.

Listen to any or all of our interviews by clicking play below the player you want to hear.

Former Golden Gopher Tanisha Gilbert


Concordia-St. Paul alum Gillian Bjerke


WNBA veteran Tamara Moore


Illinois Fighting Illini standout Jenna Smith

Lynx's new pack members attract record crowd

BY MIKE PEDEN

2,055 people watched the Minnesota Lynx roster play under official game conditions for the first time in 2011 Tuesday, when they hosted the Indiana Fever in preseason play.

If the game took place at Target Center, those fans would fill just over 10 percent of the building's total capacity. At Concordia University's Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul, where the game was held, that number stood for the first preseason sellout in Lynx history. Although results do not count for the season, the Lynx suffered no omens in their 71-66 win against the Fever.

To be sure, the addition of Maya Moore in this year's draft generated buzz not seen since the Lynx entered the WNBA in 1999. Lynx front office members also took on a long outreach campaign to attract kids from neighborhood schools for the noon game. Those students comprised about half of the crowd in attendance.

While courting the young meant decibel levels matched the Lynx's annual Kids Day promotion throughout the game, the Lynx's outreach strategy paid off in an unexpected way when audio equipment problems at the scorer's table prevented a scheduled vocalist from performing the National Anthem. After a few minutes of murmurs and wonders, Fever players performed the song a cappella, and fans young and old quickly joined in.

School kids showed their gratitude to the Fever's gesture as most cheered when Tangela Smith sank the game's first basket, a 22-foot three-pointer.

Those kids quickly reverted to the hometown team, as head coach Cheryl Reeve played everybody on her training camp roster except Alexis Hornbuckle, whose strained hamstring kept her in street clothes.

Although Moore has been hailed as Minnesota's next star since she was drafted, fellow first-round pick Amber Harris showcased the team's revamped post players. The Xavier alum finished with a double-double, netting 10 points and 10 rebounds, showing the versatility that landed her on Lynx radar since last year.

Moore was more sluggish, scoring just four points on two-of-eight shooting, but she did get five rebounds and three assists. She also got a visitor's "welcome to the WNBA" greeting, when Fever forward Tamika Catchings juked Moore one-on-one for a lay-up early in the first quarter.

With a full training camp roster, the preseason game served an effective audition for players considered "on the bubble" to make the final cut of 11 players for the regular season. One predicted battle is the backup center slot between Quanitra Hollingsworth and Jessica Adair. Hollingsworth had one rebound and one assist in 7:23 of floor time, while Adair was limited to 4:37 after racking up four quick fouls, but she scored two points on free throws and scooped one rebound.

Guard Kachine Alexander, a former Iowa Hawkeye who attended high school at Benilde-St. Margaret's, banked a 20-foot jump shot for her only basket of the game. She added two steals in her 7:13 of playing time.

The best performance came from St. Paul native Angel Robinson, who first made local headlines in high school when she led an undefeated St. Paul Central team to the class AAAA state championship in 2007. Robinson finished with four points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal in 13:22.

The Lynx have one more preseason tune-up at Indiana next Tuesday before they decide who stays and who goes.

Click this link to listen to interviews with Minnesota's Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson and Angel Robinson and Indiana's Katie Douglas.

Minnesota Lynx host 2011 media day

TSB Sports, along with the majority of the Minnesota press corps, flocked to downtown Minneapolis for the Minnesota Lynx media day. We took advantage of our new video recording capabilities to present a more interactive form of storytelling you'll see more of as we cover the 2011 Minnesota Lynx season, the first under the TSB banner. Game day coverage will stay the same with written articles, but our goal is providing more profile stories and other video content.

In the meantime, click the links below to watch Lynx players converse with local media for media day.

Chardé Houston

Taj McWilliams-Franklin

Alexis Hornbuckle

Amber Harris

Rebekkah Brunson

Maya Moore

Head coach Cheryl Reeve

Kachine Alexander and Angel Robinson

Lindsay Whalen

Lynx's Moore and Harris meet mass of Minnesota media

BY MIKE PEDEN

The Minnesota Lynx wasted no time taking advantage of their newfound attention.

Their first-round draft picks, Connecticut's Maya Moore and Xavier's Amber Harris, made their first appearance in front of media and several fans in the Target Center skyway concourse Tuesday afternoon.

While the Lynx won what was dubbed the "Maya Moore lottery" last November, the "Maya Moore media lottery" began almost as soon as the three-time Wade Trophy winner was selected.

"A lot of eyes on me and cameras and questions," Moore said. "At the University of Connecticut, we have a great opportunity to practice and get ready for draft day."

Moore herself has witnessed the UConn effect in recent WNBA drafts. Chardé Houston, who was Moore's teammate for a year in Storrs, Conn., was a third-round pick by the Lynx in 2008. She has a 2009 All-Star appearance on her resumé.

The following year, Minnesota drafted Renee Montgomery in the first round. Montgomery was traded to the Connecticut Sun after the 2009 season in an exchange that also swapped the Lynx's first overall pick with the Sun's second overall pick, allowing the Sun to draft UConn's Tina Charles, who earned Rookie of the Year honors last year. Both Charles and Montgomery made an appearance for the U.S. national team in last year's USA/WNBA All-Star Game.

All three have since grown to be fan favorites with their respective professional teams, and the character exhibited by Moore's elder Huskies was not lost with this year's first overall draft pick.

"I tried to recognize and honor the people who have helped me along the way, like my mom and coach (Geno) Auriemma. I wanted them at my table to make sure they knew how much they mean to me," Moore said.

Moore is also recognizing the new challenges she will face as a WNBA player, where strict rules with roster limits coupled with only 12 league teams equal a season where every team can compete for wins at any game.

"There are no automatic blowout games," she said.

The 16-minute press conference was part of a booked schedule for the Lynx's new pack members. When the conference concluded, Moore and Harris took part in photo shoots with the team's new jersey design, taped public service announcements and held additional interviews in a media market hungry for excitement following the struggles of the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Wild, Minnesota Timberwolves and the University of Minnesota men's and women's basketball teams.

After Monday's full slate of interviews following the WNBA draft, Moore and Harris spent most of their first plane ride together catching up on sleep.

"I was knocked out the whole time. I think I just left Amber," Moore said to a response of laughter.

Harris, who University of Minnesota fans may recall when her Xavier team thrashed Minnesota in a 2009 Thanksgiving tournament in the Bahamas, had never heard of the state slogan, "Land of 10,000 Lakes," until her arrival in a Lynx uniform. The Lynx played strategy starting from last year to be in position to draft her and considered themselves fortunate when the team expected to draft Harris, the Chicago Sky, drafted Courtney Vandersloot instead.

While Harris has played "Robin" to Moore's "Batman" in draft coverage, the only thing she plans to compete for is points to help her Minnesota Lynx team win games.

Harris is not sure where she will be slotted on the court with the team deep in power forwards but short on centers. However, she believes she can bring the skill set of both positions on the floor, which suited Minnesota's style of play last season.

"I can post up, drive to the basket, shoot threes. I can bring that inside-outside game," she said.

One benefit Moore and Harris have is joining a team of players who consistently contribute, including two-time Wade Trophy winner Seimone Augustus.

"How in the world did we get in a situation where we come in as high draft picks to a loaded team?" Moore said. "A lot of the awards that I've been a part of, (Seimone) was one of the trailblazers for multiple winners. I have a lot of respect for how she can score."

"I watched her play at (Louisiana State University). I'm really excited to play alongside her," Harris said.

Fans anticipate Moore will bring a culture of winning to a franchise that has never finished higher than 18-16 in the regular season, with Hall of Famer Rebecca Lobo going as far as penciling Moore in as WNBA Rookie of the Year if she stays healthy.

There will likely be no lectures from the woman who played throughout UConn's record breaking 90-game winning streak, the best in all of Division I basketball. Instead, Moore wants to lead with what she does best.

"Bring energy, compete, work hard, play with passion. That's what sustains winning," she said.

Click play below to listen to a one-on-one interview with Lynx draft pick Amber Harris

Lynx are "Moore" exciting after draft day

BY MIKE PEDEN

The 2011 WNBA season officially commenced Monday afternoon with the much-publicized draft class headlined by Connecticut star Maya Moore.

There was no secret she would go to the team with the first pick, which the Minnesota Lynx won in last November's lottery.

Just a few minutes after 3:00 p.m. local time at ESPN's headquarters in Bristol, Conn. (2:00 p.m. in Minnesota), the Lynx announced Moore would join their roster. Over 1,200 miles west at the Target Center Hubert's Sports Bar and Grill, ESPN cameras captured Lynx season ticket holders celebrating loudly at their draft party.

For Moore's part, she gave her mother a hug upon her selection.

"It's officially started, this new beginning," Moore said. "I will bring energy and passion. I like to get out in transition, so hopefully I'll be able to bring some fun stuff there."

Moore's accolades are well-documented. She posted a 150-4 record in her four years at UConn, including back-to-back national championships in 2009 and 2010. She is the only player to win three Wade Trophies and ended her college career fourth in most career points with 3,036.

Moore also got professional seasoning last year, playing in the USA/WNBA All-Star game and winning a gold medal with the U.S. national team, comprised of current WNBA players, in the FIBA World Championship.

"It gave me confidence that I can be successful at the professional level, but it gave me some hunger to work on the little things to be successful at that level," she said.

Lindsay Whalen called in from Prague after Moore was drafted. Both were teammates on the gold-medal national team and the two played against each other in last year's All-Star Game.

"She brings so much toughness and all kinds of intangibles," she said. "She's a phenomenal jump-shooter. Quick release. Great balance. She's fearless."

Moore's future teammates had no fear displaying their excitement on Twitter. Rebekkah Brunson said, "My Lynx just got tougher. We are putting the pieces together."

Taj McWilliams-Franklin followed the draft from Russia. Although she was signed after the Lynx claimed the first pick in this year's draft, she posted, "So this is what it feels like to win the lottery."

Minnesota's fourth pick was no less ecstatic to join Moore this summer. The Lynx took Xavier's Amber Harris, who was named Atlantic 10 Player of the Year for the 2010-11 college season. Despite redshirting in 2008-09 because of injury, Harris finished her career with over 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.

"Going there and working together is going to help us out," Harris said.

Neither will have to wait long to greet each other, as a press conference is scheduled for both Moore and Harris Tuesday afternoon at the Target Center skyway concourse.

Harris' selection was a small surprise with local fans and media expecting her to be scooped up by the Chicago Sky, but Chicago used their first-round pick on Gonzaga's Courtney Vandersloot.

"Chicago did a great job keeping their draft picks a secret," said Roger Griffith, Lynx executive vice president.

"I had talked to the Chicago coach, so I was assuming they were going to pick me," Harris said.

Not that Minnesota is complaining about the Sky bucking most mock drafts.

"That was the big we wanted. She can shoot threes, she rebounds, she takes off the rim and goes coast-to-coast," said Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve, entering her second season.

Harris could have a rough time playing her natural position of power forward, following Brunson's outstanding season a year ago with Chardé Houston providing quality bench minutes at that spot.

She hopes to continue playing that position, but following the Lynx's trade of Nicky Anosike to Washington for a 2012 first-round pick, Harris understands the need to back up 40-year-old McWilliams-Franklin at center.

"They need a big down low, but most likely, I'd like to play in the three-four range," Harris said.

Naturally, there will be new tests as expectations rise for the Lynx to end their six-year playoff drought, which includes three tough eliminations in the last three years with three different coaches.

With position needs addressed, the biggest concern will be how this year's draft picks and other signings will affect on-court discipline. The Lynx lost nine games where they led by double-digits in 2010, not accounting for near-collapses, including an overtime win against the Connecticut Sun where Minnesota led by as much as 30. In virtually all of those nine losses, the Lynx would suffer defeat in the fourth quarter.

"I live in the land of high expectations at the University of Connecticut," Moore said. "It will help me grow as a person. It will expand my leadership and experience as a competitor."

On top of that, few could watch college women's basketball coverage on ESPN and not hear of Moore, whose college is close to ESPN's headquarters. To say Minnesota would not receive their attention to start the WNBA season would be a gross understatement.

"I believe we're the envy of the league with regard to the depth we have at each position," Reeve said. "Now my job is to find the combinations of players that play best together."

The Lynx drafted North Carolina's Jessica Breland and DePaul's Felicia Chester in the second round. Both were subsequently traded in prearranged transactions. Breland was traded to the New York Liberty for Angel Robinson and the Liberty's 2012 second-round pick. Chester was sent to the Atlanta Dream for player rights to Australian Rachel Jarry and the Dream's 2012 second-round pick.

Factoring draft day transactions, the Lynx will have six picks in the 2012 draft. Gauging how they will be used is too difficult to say, but with Minnesota's deep roster, Griffith decided to save some resources instead of using them on draft picks that likely would be cut.

"If you have the opportunity to pick up an extra asset, it's worth something to have that possibility," he said.

Capping off Minnesota's drafting was third-round selection Kachine Alexander. She and Robinson are Twin Cities natives who parlayed their high school talents into successful college careers at Iowa and Marquette respectively. Alexander averaged a double-double at Iowa her junior season, only one of two guards in the entire N.C.A.A. that year to do so. Robinson was an All-Big East First Team selection for Marquette last season.