Aerial Powers looks to continue her impressive performances when the Minnesota Lynx host the Dallas Wings on Thursday night.
Powers is averaging 29.7 points and 10 rebounds over the past three games, topped by career highs of 35 points and 13 rebounds in Tuesday’s 118-107 double-overtime home victory over the Phoenix Mercury.
Powers scored 32 points in Sunday’s 102-71 rout of the first-place Las Vegas Aces and followed with 22 in an 81-78 win over the defending WNBA champion Chicago Sky on Wednesday prior to the big outing against Phoenix.
The bad part against Phoenix was that Powers committed nine turnovers and the team lost leads in regulation and the first overtime slip away.
“Of course we’ll take the win,” Powers told reporters. “But I know I’ll look back at the film, at my turnovers, where I can be better for my team. But we needed this game.”
Rachel Banham added season highs of 25 points and seven assists as Minnesota (9-15) won for the third straight game and sixth in its past eight contests. The Lynx had a 55-44 rebounding edge.
Dallas (10-13) has dropped five of its last seven games after losing 83-74 to the host Seattle Storm on Tuesday.
After an impressive 5-2 start, the Wings are just 5-11.
Against Seattle, Teaira McCowan had 18 points and 10 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season.
But McCowan wasn’t impressed with her team’s overall performance.
“I think we have to be more poised on the offensive end, because we have to think about if we’re taking these quick shots, they are getting out on transition,” McCowan said. “That means nine times out of 10 someone is not getting back. So, they are getting easy buckets in transition.”
Allisha Gray (personal reasons) missed the contest and it hasn’t yet been revealed if she will return Thursday.
The teams split two meetings earlier this season. Dallas won 94-78 at home on May 21 behind Marina Mabrey’s 22 points, while Minnesota rolled to a 92-64 home win on June 28 when Powers scored 20.
