MINNEAPOLIS — With a free night in the upper Midwest and the specter of another tough road game ahead of them, Storm coach Anne Donovan opted for a team-building diversion.

So Thursday night she took her players to the Mall of America in suburban Bloomington, a sprawling complex of department and specialty stores on the former site of Metropolitan Stadium that includes an indoor amusement park called Camp Snoopy.

Even for someone from a densely populated state like New Jersey, the size of the mall proved daunting to Donovan. "Not a fun shopping experience for me," Donovan said with a smile. "Too much."

After some shopping time, the players headed upstairs to Jillian's to watch the Lynx-Detroit game on a big-screen TV.

Sue Bird said she didn't spend much time browsing. "Houston is usually the city I save my shopping for, because our hotel is connected to the Galleria," she said.

Betty Lennox, a former Lynx player, and Janell Burse passed up the trip for a fried chicken dinner with one of Lennox's old friends. "I played here for 2 ½ years," Lennox said. "I know all about the Mall of America."

Slow road back

A glum Lennox (ligament tear in left wrist) sat out last night, and Donovan remains pessimistic about Lennox's chances of playing anytime soon. Lennox said the swelling in the wrist still hasn't subsided. "She's got a range of motion right now, but we've got to get some more in there," Donovan said. "She's antsy, but it's going to take a little time."

Before the game, Lennox sat at her locker with a wrap on her left wrist and ice bag on the right, the one with tendinitis. "All I can do is sit on the bench and watch," She said. "That's not my prerogative on how I want to be involved in things."

Lynx free-fall

By trading Katie Smith on July 30, Minnesota lost its biggest star and most recognizable face. With yesterday's loss, the 13-16 Lynx are 2-4 since the deal and 3-8 since July 15, jeopardizing their playoff chances.