Pressed into a bigger role, Napheesa Collier looks to take on the mantle of go-to player for the Minnesota Lynx as they face the New York Liberty on Saturday.

The 2019 WNBA Rookie of the Year, Collier has shown the same consistency in her sophomore season, averaging 13.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. The Lynx (6-3), though, will be leaning more on the second-year pro after losing veteran Sylvia Fowles - the WNBA's all-time leading rebounder - to a calf injury early in Thursday's 87-77 defeat to the Las Vegas Aces.

It was an injury that sidelined Fowles previously in the "wubble," and Thursday's recurrence 16-point first-half deficit Minnesota could not overcome.

"It's a huge blow losing Syl,'' Collier told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "She's such a big part of our offense and our team. It hurt losing her. But it's on us. We have to make the best of it. We did get on our heels a little bit [after the injury]. And obviously that hurt us.''

Collier showed she could handle the increased responsibility, totaling 21 points and a career-best 14 rebounds. It was her second 20-10 game of the year, something that likely needs to happen more often if the Lynx are going to stay in the top half of the WNBA standings.

"Without Sylvia, she's it,'' Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. "For her to play so well, rebound the ball so well? Hopefully this is a game that really gets her going. Because we're going to need it.''

Reeve and the Lynx are looking to complete a season sweep of former assistant Walt Hopkins and the Liberty (1-8), having routed them 92-66 on Aug. 5. That defeat prompted a soul-searching for the young New York squad - one that has resulted in improved play that has not always been reflected in outcomes of games.

The Liberty have dropped three straight, including an 86-79 defeat to Indiana on Thursday. Kia Nurse scored 21 points and Layshia Clarendon added 20 for New York, which had two chances to tie or take the lead late in the fourth quarter.

"She found a way to impact the game when her threes weren't dropping," Hopkins said of Nurse, who scored 11 of her points at the foul line while going 4 of 15 from the field. "It's something we talked about. She had six boards, three assists and no turnovers. Outside of her shots not falling, I thought she played really well."

Nurse has been in a season-long shooting funk, connecting on just 21.6 percent of her shots while averaging 10.6 points. She finished with 10 in the loss to the Lynx earlier this month, going 2 of 8 from 3-point range and 3 of 16 overall.

Minnesota has won six of the last seven matchups between the teams.