Shock Send Lynx to 6th Loss in 7 Games

MINNEAPOLIS - Just 24 hours after getting blown out by the Phoenix Mercury and high-scoring rookie Cappie Pondexter, the Detroit Shock had to deal with another young standout in Minnesota's Seimone Augustus.

This time Detroit was up for the challenge. Swin Cash scored 19 points and Kendra Holland-Corn added 15 in the Shock's 92-80 win over the Lynx on Friday night.

"Whenever you get knocked upside your head like we did last night, it's always good to come back with a game the next night and regroup," Cash said. "I thought we did that."

Detroit sent the Lynx to their sixth loss in seven games by posting its highest scoring game of the season.

Katie Smith, traded from Minnesota to Detroit last July 30, finished with 11 points and five assists in her first game back at the Target Center. Cheryl Ford added 14 points for the Shock.

"(Minnesota) gave us a big shot in the first half," Smith said. "They were hitting everything they threw up and we just had to withstand that. Once we made our run we put it out of reach and maintained the rest of the ball game."

Augustus, a rookie, led all scorers with 26 points. But she was frustrated in the game's final three quarters by the aggressive Detroit defense.

"We tried to put some bigger players on her at times," Detroit coach Bill Laimbeer said. "But they also went away from her a little bit. She was taking every shot and then they went away from her and they struggled a little bit."

Augustus scored 13 of Minnesota's first 20 points, but was held scoreless the rest of the first half after sinking a jumper at 9:43 of the second quarter.

Detroit (12-6) went on a 20-3 run to end the second quarter and took a 50-31 lead at halftime. Cash finished the half with 14 points and five rebounds, while Ford had nine points at the break.

"Where to begin?" Lynx coach Suzie McConnell Serio asked. "We didn't defend. Everything we've emphasized since Day 1 has been team defense, and for whatever reason, we continue to struggle with it. I know we can play good defense if we want to, we just have to be consistent with it."

Minnesota (6-12) cut its deficit to 11 at 5:05 of the third quarter, but a pair of jumpers from Deanna Nolan and Cash extended the Shock's lead to 15.

Nolan finished with 13 points for the Shock.

Svetlana Abrosimova added 12 for the Lynx.

Minnesota acquired guard Chandi Jones as part of the Smith trade but Jones has not played this season while recovering from a torn meniscus in her left knee. McConnell Serio hopes to have her back after the All-Star break.

"We need to try different things," she said. "What we're doing now just isn't working. (Jones) will get every opportunity to work her way into the lineup."