The Seattle Storm hosted the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday evening, pitting two of the WNBA’s top four teams against one other. Both teams have performed admirably this season, but the Storm have dominated the Lynx for a long time, with the Storm leading the series 11 wins in a row entering the night. In this particular battle, though, Lynx standout Sylvia Fowles had other ideas, scoring 29 points, 20 rebounds, four steals, and three blocks to lead Minnesota to a 76-70 triumph.
Fowles made an immediate impact on the game, putting up huge numbers before halftime to drive Minnesota into a double-digit lead.
Before the halftime break, Fowles had scored 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Fowles is currently second in WNBA history with her eighth career double-double before halftime, and her 13 first-half rebounds were a franchise record for Minnesota. Fowles, on the other hand, was clearly not finished, as she continued to dominate the game on both ends in the second half.
Fowles was the clear driving force behind the Lynx’s crucial victory, and her statistics put her in elite company. She became only the fourth player in league history to score 25 points and grab 20 rebounds, and Fowles was one point away from becoming the first player to score 30 points in a game.
On this night, there were other stars, to be sure. Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier finished with 18 points and five rebounds, giving Fowles an useful backup option. Breanna Stewart, on the other hand, had 18 points, 16 rebounds, and three blocks, partnering with Fowles to make WNBA history.
Still, this night belonged to Fowles, and she was the centerpiece of the victory. Now 35 years old, Fowles made it known that she was retiring from USA Basketball following her fourth Olympic gold medal, but the 2017 WNBA MVP, three-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and seven-time WNBA All-Star clearly has plenty left in the tank.
