Posted: December 22, 2010 5:55 p.m. CT
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Lynx today announced the team's schedule for the 2011 season. The Lynx and Los Angeles Sparks will tip-off the WNBA's 15th season on Friday, June 3 in Los Angeles at 9:30 p.m. The same two teams will meet two nights later on Sunday, June 5 at 2:30 p.m. as the Lynx open their 13th season of basketball at Target Center. The 2011 WNBA campaign consists of 34 regular-season contests (17 home/17 away) from June 3 through September 11.
The Lynx will play Western Conference teams Los Angeles (three times at home, two on the road) and Phoenix (three times on the road, two at home) five times each, and San Antonio, Seattle and Tulsa four times apiece, twice at home and twice on the road. Minnesota will play each Eastern Conference team (Atlanta, Chicago, Connecticut, Indiana, New York and Washington) twice, once at home and on the road. Minnesota's 2011 schedule features a national television appearance on Tuesday, August 2 vs. Phoenix.
Minnesota's 17-game home schedule features 10 weekend dates (4 - Friday, 3 - Saturday, 3 - Sunday) as well as four Tuesday games, one Wednesday matchup and two Thursday evening contests. For the ninth straight year, Minnesota will host one weekday afternoon game, a noon tipoff against the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday, July 13.
Minnesota plays consecutive games at home five times during the 2011 season, including a stretch of four of five at Target Center beginning with a Tuesday, July 26 contest vs. Los Angeles and ending with a Thursday, August 4 game vs. San Antonio. Following that, the Lynx will begin a stretch of three consecutive games on the road (August 7 at Los Angeles, August 9 at Phoenix and August 12 at Chicago). Minnesota's regular season home finale will be on Thursday, September 8 vs. Chicago. The Lynx have only one back-to-back set this year, when they play at Indiana on Friday, July 15 before playing Seattle at home on Saturday, July 16.
Key Facts About the 2011 Lynx Regular-Season Schedule
- The Lynx will open their regular season slate on Friday, June 3 at Los Angeles, marking the sixth time the club has opened away from Target Center. The Lynx are 7-5 in season openers, including 2-3 in season openers on the road. Minnesota opened its 2010 campaign with an 80-74 win at Tulsa.
- Minnesota will play the same opponent two games in a row three times in 2011: June 3/5 - Los Angeles; June 17/19 - Atlanta; Sept. 2/4 - New York.
Minnesota Lynx 2011 Regular-Season Schedule
JUNE:
Fri. 3 at Los Angeles 9:30 p.m.
Sun. 5 LOS ANGELES 2:30 p.m.
Tue. 7 TULSA 7:00 p.m.
Thur. 9 at Seattle 9:00 p.m.
Fri. 17 ATLANTA 7:00 p.m.
Sun. 19 at Atlanta 2:00 p.m.
Fri. 24 at Seattle 9:00 p.m.
Sun. 26 INDIANA 6:00 p.m.
Thur. 30 at Tulsa 7:00 p.m.
JULY:
Sat. 9 CONNECTICUT 7:00 p.m.
Wed. 13 PHOENIX 12:00 p.m.
Fri. 15 at Indiana 6:00 p.m.
Sat. 16 SEATTLE 7:00 p.m.
Wed. 20 at Phoenix 2:30 p.m.
Tues. 26 LOS ANGELES 7:00 p.m.
Fri. 29 SEATTLE 7:00 p.m.
Sun. 31 at San Antonio 2:00 p.m.
AUGUST:
Tue 2 PHOENIX 7:00 p.m.
Thur. 4 SAN ANTONIO 7:00 p.m.
Sun. 7 at Los Angeles 4:00 p.m.
Tue. 9 at Phoenix 9:00 p.m.
Fri. 12 at Chicago 7:30 p.m.
Sun. 14 TULSA 6:00 p.m.
Tue. 16 at Connecticut 6:30 p.m.
Thur. 18 at Washington 6:00 p.m.
Sat. 20 LOS ANGELES 7:00 p.m.
Tue. 23 at Tulsa 7:00 p.m.
Fri. 26 SAN ANTONIO 7:00 p.m.
Sun. 28 at San Antonio 2:00 p.m.
Tue. 30 WASHINGTON 7:00 p.m.
SEPTEMBER:
Fri. 2 NEW YORK 7:00 p.m.
Sun. 4 at New York 3:00 p.m.
Thur. 8 CHICAGO 7:00 p.m.
Sun. 11 at Phoenix 7:00 p.m.
Home games in ALL CAPS. All times Central.
