ST. PAUL - Maya Moore scored 26 points to help the Minnesota Lynx beat the Phoenix Mercury 96-86 in Game 2 of their semifinal series Friday night at Xcel Energy Center.
Lindsay Whalen scored 16 points for top-seeded Minnesota, which holds a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series. Sylvia Fowles had 14 points and nine rebounds. Rebekkah Brunson had 13 points and 11 rebounds
Diana Taurasi scored 31 points for eighth-seeded Phoenix. Penny Taylor had 16 points
Moore poured in 14 points in the opening period as Minnesota built a 35-24 lead. TheLynx went up 15-10 on a 3-point play by Fowles and stretched their lead to double digits on a 3-pointer by Moore, who scored 12 of the team's last 14 points to end the quarter. Minnesota went up by 14 in the second quarter. Phoenix trailed 55-47 at the break.
The Mercury got within six midway through the third quarter, but the Lynx reestablished a double digit lead and carried a 77-65 advantage into the fourth. Phoenix slowly chipped away at the lead and got within six on a 3-pointer by Taurasi with 23 seconds remaining, but Minnesota held on to win.
