Defense was a point of emphasis during the Connecticut Sun's training camp.

Saturday, Connecticut struggled to stop the Minnesota Lynx in its 90-74 WNBA loss before 9,223 at the Target Center.

Minnesota shot 57.1 percent through the first three quarters of its season opener. It finished at 50 percent.

Maya Moore scored a game-high 26 with seven rebounds and five assists for the Lynx. Seimone Augustus made 9 of her 13 shots for 20 points.

"They were very high energy," Sun coach Anne Donovan said about the Lynx. "They took it to us right from the start through the first three quarters."

Tina Charles (22 points, 10 rebounds) and Kara Lawson (22 points, five 3-pointers, four rebounds, four assists) were the only Sun players to score in double figures.

Connecticut (1-2) missed 10 of its first 13 shots and fell behind, 21-10.

The Sun ended the first quarter strong and trimmed their deficit to 21-18. Tan White had a 3-pointer, Charles a put-back, and Ashley Walker a three-point play for Connecticut.

Minnesota started the first period with a 13-2 run, and the Sun never got closer than nine points the rest of the game.

Back-to-back layups by Moore gave the Lynx their biggest lead of the game, 88-63, with over four minutes left in the game.

The Sun played without reserve guard Renee Montgomery, who suffered a sprained left ankle during Friday night's loss to the Chicago Sky.

Connecticut returns home and will play host to former coach Mike Thibault and the Washington Mystics Friday (7 p.m.)

- Day Staff Reports