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The Minnesota Lynx secured a solid 90-78 victory over the Dallas Wings at Target Center Monday, notching their fourth consecutive win and their seventh in the past eight games. Natisha Hiedeman, who had been dealing with a sore ankle, emerged as the game-changer for the Lynx in front of their largest crowd of the season, with 8,314 fans in attendance.
“We needed someone to step up, and ‘T' did exactly that,” said Alanna Smith via Kent Youngblood of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “People say she had a little rough start. We've all known she's been ready to go. She's prepared. And she's a dog, too. Super-fast. Great passer. We needed all that tonight, and she delivered that, and more. I know it's just the start for ‘T.'”
Smith herself had a stellar night with 12 points and a season-high nine rebounds.
Hiedeman came off the bench and scored 17 points, her first double-figure game for the Lynx, adding crucial momentum when it was needed most.
“It was kind of flowing,” Hiedeman said. “There were a lot of options, a lot of stuff in transition. My teammates made everything easy. I was just able to get going today.”
The game saw the Lynx trailing 59-57 late in the third quarter before Hiedeman sparked a turnaround. With 2:03 left in the quarter, she drove to score, was fouled, and made the free throw, pushing the Lynx ahead. She continued her impact on the game, feeding Smith for a layup and contributing to a 9-4 run to end the quarter with a 66-63 lead.
Hiedeman's influence extended into the fourth quarter, where she scored or assisted on every play in a 12-2 run that stretched the Lynx's lead. By the time she fed Dorka Juhász for a basket with 7:17 left, the Lynx had a commanding 78-65 lead.
Lyxn’s team effort and defensive strength
Despite playing without Bridget Carleton due to an elbow injury and facing shooting struggles from key players like Napheesa Collier and Courtney Williams, the Lynx showcased a balanced team effort. Five Lynx players finished in double figures, including Kayla McBride with 19 points and Juhász with 11.
The Wings, who were without their leading scorer Arike Ogunbowale, managed to score 44 points in the paint but were limited to just six points in the fourth quarter. The Lynx's defensive effort turned 16 Wings turnovers into 20 points, emphasizing their ability to wear down opponents.
“That's what makes us great,” Smith said. “We wear people down.”
Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve expressed her satisfaction with Hiedeman's performance.
“It's been coming for ‘T,'” Reeve said. “I'm really happy for her. She was able to get to the rim with aggression, play with some pace. Obviously her best game as a Lynx.”
Hiedeman, undeterred by her sore ankle, remained aggressive throughout the game.
“I go into every game with aggression,” she said. “But it's what the defense gives me. I was more me today, and I took it.”
