Storm (1-1) at Minnesota Lynx (2-0)

Target Center | Minneapolis, Minn.

Thursday, June 11 | 5 p.m PT

Broadcast: WNBA Live Access, Fox Sports North

 

2014 vs. Minnesota: 2-2

Last meeting: L 77-60 (July 13, 2014)

Leading scorer: Camille Little 17

The Storm showed some toughness in the second half of its loss to Tulsa on Tuesday and will look to bring a greater intensity into Minnesota and get back into the win column when it takes on the Lynx on Thursday night.

It is the second of a three-game road trip for the Storm, which will wrap up on Sunday at Los Angeles.

WHO TO WATCH: Ramu Tokashiki

Rookie forward Ramu Tokashiki has made an early impression on the Storm and has been a critical piece off the bench. On Tuesday, she came off the bench to score eight points, including going 4-for-4 from the line, and collected two blocks. Tokashiki has had two blocks in each of her first two games.

CAGING THE LYNX

The Storm proved to be an odd kryptonite for Minnesota last season. Despite only winning 12 games last season, Seattle beat the Western Conference runner-up Lynx twice and won both matchups early in the campaign. The Storm won the first matchup 65-62 at KeyArena on June 6, 2014 and got 13 points and eight rebounds from Crystal Langhorne, snapping Minnesota’s seven-game winning streak to open the season. Seattle was one of only two teams to beat Minnesota multiple times in 2014.

‘THE BENCH MOB’

The bench continues to impress in the early part of the season and has been a difference maker through the first two games. In the Storm’s victory over Los Angeles on Opening Night, the bench scored 40 points and was led by Renee Montgomery with 19. They followed up that performance with 29 more points against Tulsa and has three players with at least seven. The Storm’s second unit is now averaging 34.5 points per game.

KALEENA ON THE ATTACK

Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis was another part of the group that provided a spark off the bench. After entering the game late in the third quarter on Tuesday, she hit a turnaround jumper for her first career bucket. She would score the last seven points of the quarter for the Storm and hit a buzzer-beating three to finish the period.

UCONN REUNION

Storm guard Renee Montgomery and Minnesota forward Maya Moore have a good understanding of each other. Not only have the two been in league for a while now (seventh season for Montgomery, fourth for Moore), but the two spent two years as teammates at UConn and went undefeated (39-0) en route to the 2009 NCAA National Championship in Montgomery’s senior season. The pair combined to average 35.8 points that year.

BIRD FLYING UP THE CHARTS

Sue Bird has been one of the best players in the WNBA since arriving in Seattle in 2002 and she is now climbing her way into the upper ranks of the league’s all-time scoring list. Entering Thursday’s action, Bird has 4,826 career points and is two points behind New York’s Swin Cash for 14th on the all-time list. She is also closing in on Sheryl Swoopes for 13th on the list and trails the great by 49 points.

SCOUTING MINNESOTA

The Lynx have not missed a beat from last season and have been led by Lindsay Whalen. Through the first two games of the season, the 5-foot-9 guard has averaged 21.5 points and 5.5 assists, including a 26-point performance against Tulsa on June 5. Rebekkah Brunson has been a terror on the glass thus far and is averaging 15 points and 14 rebounds. Oh, and then there is reigning WNBA MVP Maya Moore.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Having a short memory will serve Seattle well in this game. After losing control of Tuesday’s game early, getting out to a good start should help immensely. Minnesota is going to hit the glass hard and limiting second chances will be critical for Seattle. The Lynx has grabbed at least 40 boards in each of the first two games and brought in 13 offensive rebounds in their win against Indiana on Saturday.