When the Houston Comets won the last of their four WNBA titles in 2000, Maya Moore was an 11-year-old who already had big plans. She wanted to play in the Final Four someday. And the WNBA? Yeah, that too.Perhaps even as ambitious a goal-setter as Moore might not have been aiming for matching the Comets. Yet 16 years later, Moore and the Minnesota Lynx are in position to do just that.Its out there, and we know it, said Moore, whose Lynx host Game 1 of the WNBA Finals against Los Angeles on Sunday (ABC, 3 p.m. ET). We use it as excitement. We have an opportunity, and it makes our appreciation of this even greater.Its pushing us forward, giving us good pressure. But we also know we have to just lock in and do all those other things it takes to win a championship.The Lynx are in a stretch of WNBA success thats the closest thing the league has had to the Comets. Minnesota has made the WNBA Finals five of the last six years, winning titles in 2011, 13 and 15.A championship this year will not just tie the Comets but also be the first time a WNBA team has won back-to-back titles since Los Angeles in 2001-02. Phoenix is the only other franchise with three championships (2007, 09 and 14).The Comets won the first four titles in the leagues existence, but they never made it back to the WNBA Finals after 2000. The franchise was one of the casualties of the economic crisis of the last decade, folding after the 2008 season. The WNBA has lost other teams, including another champion in the Sacramento Monarchs. But no loss hurt more than the Comets, because they were the first standard-bearers for the WNBA.Now that role goes to the Lynx, an expansion franchise that began play in 1999 and made the playoffs just twice in its first 12 years. But once the organization figured things out, it has been able to do something thats even harder than reaching a peak: stay there.If you know the history of the league, we take pride in representing things right, said Seimone Augustus, the longest-tenured Lynx player. [The Comets] set the precedent for us to be where were at. We understand what were doing is helping the league grow.Turning the tideThe Lynx drafted Augustus No. 1 in 2006. The WNBA draft that year was held in Boston, the same city as the Womens Final Four, and Augustus smiled for the cameras holding up her Lynx jersey just a few days after her LSU team had lost in the national semifinals to Duke.Augustus had spent her life in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and now was headed all the way up to Minneapolis to start her pro career. The previous season, the Lynx dealt star Katie Smith in a trade that really got them nothing. Augustus was to be the new building block, but the construction was going to take awhile.The Lynx had losing records in Augustus first five seasons, going a combined 63-107 and not making the playoffs. By 2010, Augustus was playing for her fifth coach, Cheryl Reeve. But that was the year, Augustus said, she could see the light at the end of the tunnel.Native Minnesotan Lindsay Whalen, whod starred collegiately for the Minnesota Gophers, was obtained in a trade. Rebekkah Brunson was picked in the dispersal draft after Sacramento folded. With them, the Lynx finished 2010 at 13-21, but they knew they were on the verge. And they had the No. 1 pick for 2011, which was a fabulous year to be in that spot.It meant that Moore, who won two championships and was part of a record 90-game winning streak at UConn, was coming to Minnesota. With her, the Lynx then had a Core Four -- Augustus, Brunson, Moore and Whalen -- similar to the Big Four that had powered the Comets: Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, Tina Thompson and Janeth Arcain.In Reeve, the Lynx had a coach with championship experience as an assistant with Detroit, and they had a general manager in Roger Griffith who had found his stride in putting together the right pieces for the organization.It paid off with a 2011 championship, as Minnesota swept Atlanta. The Lynx havent had a lapse since. They ran into a team of destiny situation in falling to Indiana in the 2012 WNBA Finals, and a red-hot Phoenix team beat Minnesota in the 2014 Western Conference finals. But the Lynx swept Atlanta to win the 2013 title and beat Indiana in a tough five-game championship series in 2015.Weve had a lot of the same people, but that doesnt necessarily mean its just going to automatically happen, Moore said. We dont always get it right. But at the end of the day, we just want to win, and were convinced about how we do that. Weve had to evolve and make adjustments, though.In 2015, Monica Wright was traded to Seattle for Renee Montgomery. The Lynx also obtained Spanish player Anna Cruz, and she and Montgomery gave Minnesota a different look at guard than Whalen and Augustus.But the biggest change of all came in late July with the trade to bring in center Sylvia Fowles, who had sat out the season to that point to force a deal.Adding another Olympian was a great thing, of course, but the Lynx went through some difficulties incorporating her into the mix. They finished 22-12 yet by playoff time were ready for another championship run. Fowles was the WNBA Finals MVP.We had more movement on the roster than wed had since I got here, Moore said. But still, that culture remained because we brought in people that want to win. Were very picky, I think. Very selective.Winning mentalityBut theyre not haughty, or arrogant, or cocky. To the contrary, the collective personality of the team reflects that of the individuals themselves: The Lynx remain blue-collar and humble, despite all the success and accolades.Lindsay Whalen is the emotional leader of this team, Moore said of the rock-steady point guard. Seimone is as well, just in a little different way. Its a special, special group.You have people like Rebekkah Brunson, who is one of the most unbelievable players to have played the game. Players like Syl, who sacrificed and sat out, because she wanted to be here. Some international players have come in and helped us. And everybody just falls in line with the culture, because we appreciate each other and push each other, too.Then theres the coaching staff: Reeve, former NBA player Jim Petersen and Shelley Patterson, who like Reeve has spent decades coaching womens hoops. Petersen was hired in 2009 by previous coach Don Zierden, stayed when Jennifer Gillom took over and then was retained by Reeve. She understood the value he brought as a mentor to post players, along with his tactical acumen.The Lynx coaching brain trust has embraced analytics and has the flexibility to be creative with what the team does offensively and defensively. The organization has kept the talent it has, plus brought in more.It comes from the people from the top down, including our owner, Moore said of Glen Taylor. We have a team dinner at his house every spring, and it starts there. And Cheryl does such a great job of holding a high standard but investing just as much herself as she wants from us.Reeve does not spend much time on history lessons, in part because she has such a mature team. But ...We had some dialogue early in the season. Just that we have the chance to be the best Lynx team ever, Reeve said. But we understood that means you have to have a championship that season. That was not necessarily a carrot, but a statement of our potential. So it was, How are we going to do it?Then we had to get to work and define roles. Ive enjoyed the heck out of this group; its been so rewarding.Minnesota became the best Lynx team ever as far as the regular season, with a 28-6 record.Now, though, the Lynx will try to take another step to a fourth title. And Moore fully appreciates that Houston is still the benchmark for WNBA success.Youre trying to soak up every opportunity and take advantage of what comes your way, Moore said. Cheryl and our coaching staff do a great job of giving us perspective so we dont lose the joy and appreciation of what were doing, because its hard.I think we have a great balance of not taking anything for granted. Enjoying the ride, but working our tails off. And hoping for the best. 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The third-ranked Ivanovic, who won the event in 2008 and 10, served five aces and broke Wickmayer, also a former winner in 2009, five times. "The result looked easier than it really was," Ivanovic said. LINCOLN, Neb. -- Bring on Oregon.Nebraska tuned up for the No. 24 Ducks with a 52-17 victory over Wyoming, which trailed by seven points late in the third quarter but saw the game get out of control because of Josh Allens six turnovers, all in the second half Saturday.Now a Nebraska program trying to regain national relevance can turn its full attention to one of the most anticipated games in Lincoln in years.Oregon, theyre no joke, said Jordan Westerkamp, who caught two of Tommy Armstrong Jr.s three touchdown passes and had 105 yards on four receptions. Theyre a top program in the entire nation. This will be our first big test. We have to take them extremely serious and have a great week of practice because theyre going to come ready to play.If we can get a win against Oregon, thatll be huge for our program. On a national level, just beating a team like that should propel us forward in a lot of peoples minds.Nebraska (2-0), which ran on 51 of 64 plays in last weeks 43-10 win over Fresno State, relied on the pass against Wyoming (1-1). Armstrong was 20 of 34 for 377 yards, and the Huskers finished with 412 yards through the air after backup Ryker Fyfe played the last two series.Armstrong set the school career record for touchdown passes, with his 57th coming on a 9-yard pass to Westerkamp in the fourth quarter. The fourth-year starting QB was presented the game ball in the locker room for his accomplishment.I couldnt do it without those guys, Armstrong said. They did a great job making plays -- a bunch of catches and yards after contact. We have a lot of season left, and Im excited about those guys out wide.Six of Wyomings last seven second-half possessions ended with turnovers -- five interceptions and a bad lateral by Allen that was counted as a fumble -- and the Huskers scored 28 points in the fourth quarter.There was a tipping point in the game, and sometimes they get away from you. That one did, Cowboys coach Craig Bohl said. I dont know where the exact tipping point was, but it was after one of those interceptions. The score starteed getting tough.ddddddddddddKieron Williams ran back an interception 23 yards for a touchdown, and Nate Gerry picked off two passes.I think its great to be 2-0 going into this game, Nebraska coach Mike Riley said. The more you win, the more exciting the next game gets. This one, being who they are and what they mean nationally and where we want to go, this is exciting.THE TAKEAWAYWYOMING: The Cowboys hung with the Huskers for three quarters, but there was no way Wyoming was going to survive six turnovers -- all in the second half. Allen did show flashes, like when he rolled right and threw a perfect strike on a 35-yard pass to Gentry for touchdown on a fourth-and-12 late in the first half.NEBRASKA: The Huskers put up some big offensive numbers, but they struggled again with personal fouls and other penalties, which could come back to bite them against better opponents. The defense shut down Wyoming star running back Brian Hill -- good preparation for Oregons Royce Freeman next week.KEY NUMBERSWYOMING: Gentry had seven catches for 124 yards with one touchdown and now has five career 100-yard games, including two straight.NEBRASKA: Alonzo Moore had three catches for a career-high 109 yards, including a 63-yard touchdown. The Huskers five interceptions were the most since they picked off five passes against Idaho in 2010.UP NEXTWYOMING: The Cowboys return home to play UC Davis of the FCS Big Sky Conference for the first time. The teams have a one-game contract, with Wyoming paying a $400,000 guarantee.NEBRASKA: The Huskers game against Oregon is especially meaningful to Riley, the former Oregon State coach who was 4-10 against the Ducks with his usually-outmanned Beaver teams (1997-98, 2003-14).LAST WORDWe went into the fourth quarter down seven. It was within reach. It just didnt happen... Everyones hurting. Im hurting. I take this one completely on myself. I didnt put our team in a position to win, Allen said. ' ' '