The @minnesotalynx tie the series up at 1 defeating @indianafever 83-71 behind Seimone Augustus' 27 points while Mayaadded 23.#WNBAFinals
— WNBA (@WNBA) October 18, 2012
Well, it should have been pretty clear that the Minnesota Lynx were not going to play as poorly as they did in Game One again and Seimone Augustus came up huge in the second half tonight to make sure that her team would even the series at one game apiece.
After struggling to hit shots she normally makes in the first half, Augustus caught fire in the second half and finished with 27 points on the night that she received her first-ever All-WNBA First Team award. And when Augustus gets in the zone, she's almost entirely unguardable as she has the ability to elevate and hit contested jumpers over defenders.
As stated earlier today, this was about a combination of the Lynx getting back to what got them here, the home crowd providing an added emotional boost, and of course Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve drawing a motivational technical foul and tossing her jacket off on the sidelines.
And the play of the game goes to Coach Reeves!! Her "tantrum" turned the game around...which I knew it would! She knows what she's doing...
— Ticha Penicheiro (@TichaPenicheiro) October 18, 2012
The Indiana Fever were still playing without star guard Katie Douglas who mentioned during a halftime interview that she's responding to treatment but could not offer a timeline for her return to action. Meanwhile, forward Tamika Catchings continued to play MVP-caliber basketball throughout the game, though it was her turn to falter in the final period.
Catchings cuts Minnesota's lead to 9 with her first points of the quarter and 2:51 to play. #FeverFinals
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) October 18, 2012
Game 3 will take place on Friday in Indianapolis at 8 p.m. EDT.