GAME 3 SEMI-FINAL PREVIEW: DANDENONG VS. PERTH

Sydney Uni have advanced to the Grand Final but their competitor is yet to be decided with the Jayco Dandenong Rangers hosting the Perth Lynx on Sunday in Game 3 of their Semi-Finals series in a winner-takes-all clash.

Game 3

Jayco Dandenong Rangers v Perth Lynx, Dandenong Stadium, Sunday, 3.00pm (local time)

The situation

The first ever Game 3 in the WNBLÕs history is set to be a thriller with both sides able to claim their own reasons for favouritism.

The Rangers have a 3-0 record at home against Perth this season with an average winning margin of 16 points including a Game 1 victory last weekend.

However, the Lynx will carry the momentum into Game 3 after their stunning performance on Friday night led by Sami WhitcombÕs 41-point effort.

The guard handled the pressure of a must-win game with aplomb and this Perth side know what it takes to make a Grand Final after reaching the same stage last year.

Dandenong, meanwhile, own the record for the longest active playoff streak but have claimed the ultimate glory just once during that run and have not reached the Grand Final in their past four seasons which will add to the pressure in an already intense game.

What we learned from Game 2

You cannot keep Sami Whitcomb downÊand the Lynx guard proved once again she is the most damaging offensive player in the game on Friday night, hitting 15-24 from the field including 8-12 from downtown for 41 points, accounting for nearly half of PerthÕs total.

While Amelia Todhunter and the Dandenong back court were impressive overall in their defence on Whitcomb in Game 1, the MVP candidate is still averaging 32.5 points in the series.

Steph Cumming did her best to keep pace with Whitcomb, tallying 30 points on 9-19 shooting herself in Game 2 but the Rangers were out-scored by 27 from the three-point line.

Dandenong have proven they are a formidable team at home and are sure to provide different strategies as to how to contain Whitcomb on Sunday but if they cannot defend the perimeter and keep the LynxÕs shooting percentage down, they will struggle to clinch the series.

What changes in Game 3

Perth have relied on Whitcomb often throughout the season but Tessa Lavey and Ruth Hamblin have played important roles in both games, including leading the comeback charge in Game 1 when the visitors almost pulled off a miracle.

Carley Mijovic does a lot of the things you will not see on a box score with her screens helping the likes of Whitcomb and Lavey get free but she is due for a big game, averaging just 4.5 points in the series.

If Mijovic can stretch the floor with her deadly three-point shot, the Lynx back court will find even more space.

Dandenong will needÊCumming to continue to match the output of Whitcomb and while Sara Blicavs has been solid, she will be looking to improve her 32% field goal shooting to help out Cumming on the scoreboard.

Ally Malott has also been quiet at that end of the floor, scoring just two points in each game but if she can have an impact, Hamblin and Nat Burton will have their work cut out for them containing her both inside and outside the paint.

Tickets:Êhttps://secure.ticketdesq.com/book/index.cfm?fuseaction=main&TicketDesqID=2055&OrgID=21722

Live stats: http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/wnbl/577309/

Live stream:Êhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d-n5uJvDvI