Fowles has a big night as Lynx outlast Sun

Center has 21 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks as Sun fall to 0-3

Saint Paul, Minn. — The Connecticut Sun lost their third straight game to open the season, falling 80-78 Tuesday night to the unbeaten Minnesota Lynx before 8,033 at the Xcel Energy Center.

The Sun's latest loss may have been the toughest to stomach, however.

Connecticut managed to cut a ninepoint deficit with 1 minute, 30 seconds left in the game to two points with 3 seconds remaining.

Jonquel Jones was tied up by Minnesota's Sylvia Fowles by the Lynx basket with 2.2 seconds left to force a jump ball.

Jones got the tip to teammate Jasmine Thomas, but she couldn't get off a shot in time.

Fowles had 21 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks for Minnesota (4-0), which is ranked second in the latest AP Power Poll. Seimone Augustus added 16 points, including nine in the third quarter.

Maya Moore had 12 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Lynx, who have won three of the last six WNBA titles.

Thomas made a career-high five 3-pointers and scored 18 with five assists and two steals for the Sun (03). Morgan Tuck had 12 points and 10 rebounds for her first career double-double and Jones had 16 points and six rebounds.

The Sun trailed 78-69 when Jones had a put-back with 1:29 remaining.

Thomas stole a pass from Augustus and turned it into a layup. Jones had another put-back with 27.8 seconds left to cut Connecticut's deficit to 78-75. Augustus was fouled with 26.7 seconds remaining and made both free throws.

Tuck hit a 3-pointer from the wing to pull the Sun to 80-78 with 19.8 seconds left. Lindsay Whalen missed two free throws a second later, giving Connecticut a chance to either tie or win the game.

The Sun led by as many as nine points earlier in the game, and were still up 46-41 when Danielle Adams hit a three-pointer with 5:43 left in the third quarter. Minnesota responded with a 26-8 run capped by a three-pointer by Renee Montgomery with 8:54 left in the game to make it 67-54.