Nigeria’s women’s national basketball team, D’Tigress, suffered a second consecutive loss on their United States tour, falling 88–79 to the Minnesota Lynx in a competitive clash at the T-Mobile Center on Tuesday.
Playing under assistant coach Wani Muganguzi in the absence of head coach Rena Wakama, who is on WNBA duty with the Chicago Sky, the Nigerian side showed significant improvement from their opening 89–63 defeat to the Los Angeles Sparks.
D’Tigress opened strongly, with Promise Amukamara, Ezinne Kalu, Suzie Rafiu, Uche Izoje and Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah matching Minnesota’s pace in a fast-starting first quarter that ended 27–26 in favour of the hosts.
The contest remained tight through the first half, with Minnesota edging the second quarter 19–17 to take a slim 46–43 lead into the break. The Lynx gradually asserted control in the third quarter, outscoring Nigeria 21–16, before sealing victory with a 21–20 edge in the final period.
Key performances
Ezinne Kalu led Nigeria’s scoring with 25 points in a composed offensive display. Ms Kalu was supported by Gabby White, who added 16 points, while Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah contributed 11 points and Uche Izoje chipped in eight.
For Minnesota, Courtney Williams led with 17 points, as the team’s depth proved decisive, registering 43 bench points compared to Nigeria’s 28.
Despite the defeat, D’Tigress held advantages in rebounds (36–25) and steals (8–5), but were undone by lower shooting efficiency, converting 40 per cent of field goals compared to Minnesota’s 50 per cent.
The Nigerian side also trailed significantly in assists (23–11), reflecting the Lynx’s superior ball movement. Both teams recorded 32 points in the paint, but Minnesota capitalised on fast-break opportunities, scoring 13 points against Nigeria’s seven.
The game featured six lead changes and five ties, although Minnesota’s biggest lead of 15 points proved decisive.
Team rebuild
Despite the loss, the performance highlighted progress within a youthful squad assembled as part of a broader rebuilding phase.
The 21-player camp roster includes 15 athletes drawn from 14 NCAA programmes, as the Nigeria Basketball Federation focuses on building depth for future competitions.
Emerging players such as Ms White, Stephanie Okechukwu, Shay Ijiwoye, Nora Ezike, Ms Izoje and Danielle Osho are part of a new generation being integrated into the national setup.
The tour serves as preparation for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, where Nigeria will compete in Group B alongside France, South Korea and Hungary.
With one game left in the three-match series, D’Tigress will face the Indiana Fever on Saturday midnight, as the coaching crew continues to assess tactical cohesion and player combinations against top-tier WNBA opposition.
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