D’Tigress Falls 88-79 to Minnesota Lynx in U.S. Tour

D’Tigress, Nigeria's women's national basketball team, faced Minnesota Lynx in Kansas City on Tuesday, suffering an 88-79 defeat in their second consecutive loss during their U.S. tour. The team was without head coach Rena Wakama, who was attending to WNBA duties with the Chicago Sky.

D’Tigress started strong, ending the first quarter narrowly behind at 27-26. The Lynx edged the second quarter 19-17, leading 46-43 at halftime.

Minnesota asserted control in the third quarter, outscoring Nigeria 21-16, and maintained their lead in the final quarter. Ezinn Kalu led Nigeria's scoring with 25 points, while Gabbi White added 16 points.

The team displayed an improved balanced attack, recording 36 rebounds compared to Minnesota's 25. Despite the loss, the Nigerian squad, featuring a mix of youth and experience, is part of a broader rebuilding phase ahead of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.

D’Tigress will face Indiana Fever next as they continue to assess tactics and player combinations.