AFCON 2025
D’Tigress were beaten 88–79 by Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday, suffering their second consecutive defeat on their ongoing United States training tour.
The Nigerian side, handled by assistant coach Wani Muganguzi in the absence of head coach Rena Wakama, produced a far better performance than in their opening loss to Los Angeles Sparks and stayed competitive throughout the contest in Kansas City.
D’Tigress made a strong start and trailed narrowly 27–26 after the first quarter. The game remained closely fought in the second period, with Minnesota taking a 46–43 lead into halftime.
The Lynx gradually took control after the break, winning the third quarter 21–16 before edging the final quarter 21–20 to secure victory.
Ezinne Kalu led Nigeria’s scoring with 25 points, while Gabby White added 16 points. Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah finished with 11 points and Uche Izoje contributed eight.
Nigeria impressed on the boards, recording 36 rebounds to Minnesota’s 25, and also had more steals. However, the Lynx proved more clinical in front of the basket, shooting 50 per cent from the field compared to D’Tigress’ 40 per cent.
Courtney Williams paced Minnesota with 17 points, while the home side’s bench made a strong impact with 43 points.
Despite the result, the outing provided encouragement for Nigeria’s youthful squad as preparations continue for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.
D’Tigress will round off the three-game tour with a clash against Indiana Fever on Saturday.
