Oh, MAYA! Moore hits buzzer-beater to give Lynx Game 3

Indianapolis, IN -- After splitting the first two games at home, the Minnesota Lynx traveled to take on the Indiana Fever in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals on Friday in search of a second straight win in the five-game series.

So far, the series has been incredibly close. After the first two games, both the Fever and the Lynx had scored 146 total points, and both lost their respective games by just six points.

So naturally, Game 3 would be no different.

In a game that went right down to the wire, the Lynx were able to top the Fever 80-77 on Friday in front of a sold out crowd in Indianapolis after Lynx forward Maya Moore hit a game-winning three-pointer as time expired, giving them a 2-1 lead in the series.

The game went back and forth early, with neither team able to gain a significant lead. Heading into the second quarter, Minnesota was able to gain a slight edge 20-19.

But it was the second quarter when things really started heating up. The Lynx were able to extend their lead up to seven midway through the second period, but the Fever did not let up.

They rallied back fast, going on a 14-4 run to end the first half. The run, fueled by Indiana guard Shenise Johnson's 11-second quarter points, was enough to retake the lead 42-38 heading into the locker room.

Part of the Lynx second quarter struggles came from the absence of Moore, who found herself sitting on the bench for most of the quarter with three fouls. The Fever took advantage of the All-Star's absence, virtually shutting down the Lynx offensive game.

The game remained tight through the third quarter, with Minnesota able to retake the lead 59-57 by the end of the period. Even through the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter, the game remained tied 73-73 with neither team able to take a significant lead.

With just over a minute to play, Lynx guard Renee Montgomery was able to tie the game again 77-77 with a three-pointer. It quickly turned into a defensive battle during the final minute of play, with neither team able to find a basket.

However, with 1.7 seconds left, Minnesota found Moore off the inbounds at the top of the key. As time expired, Moore was able to hit the three-point shot, giving the Lynx the 80-77 win.

Moore led the Lynx with 24 total points in her 22 minutes of play, shooting nearly 56 percent from the field. Guard Seimone Augustus finished with 13 points, and Montgomery and center Sylvia Fowles also finished with double-digit figures, scoring 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Johnson and guard Briann January led the Fever with 17 and 15 points, respectively, and forward Marissa Coleman finished with 14 points.