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MAGNIFICENT MAC Adelaide Lightning has defied the odds by tonight completing a four-win streak in eight days, downing the defending champion Fire 85-70 in Townsville.

The four wins in four states was a credit to coach Chris Lucas and his committed team, which started its drive into the top four by beating Dandenong 86-80 in Victoria on November 30.

Two days later, Adelaide stopped Canberra in its tracks 91-83 before beating Sydney in NSW on Wednesday and Townsville in north Queensland tonight.

"I couldn't be more proud of the girls and the way they have played and conducted themselves," Lucas said.

Minutes after beating the Rangers, the team was informed of its perilous future and also lost point guard Aimie Clydesdale to concussion after she was cleaned up by Rachel Jarry.

Clydesdale, who was finding her finest form, now has missed three games.

But after stopping the Capitals, Adelaide continued on its winning way in Sydney, with Lauren Nicholson scoring a career-high 26 points against her former Flames ball club.

Co-captain Nicole Seekamp enjoyed a double-double with 17 points and 10 assists, as did Kayla Alexander who paired 10 points with 11 rebounds.

But Seekamp (below) was on "triple-double" watch, with eight rebounds as well.

Lightning led by as many as 20 points before easing the foot off the pedal ahead of tonight's match in Townsville, the win over the Flames drawing Adelaide's record to 6-6 and tipping Bendigo out of the top four.

The Lightning's whopping 49-38 boards disparity - possibly aided by the absence through injury of Fire starter Suzy Batkovic (neck) - included a telling 23 offensive rebounds, paced by Kayla Alexander's five.

After Townsville led 8-4, Adelaide unleashed an 18-3 explosion to seize control of the game and it never relented.

Nicholson again led Lightning's scoring with 23, while rookie Penina Davidson enjoyed a career-high 14 points at 54 percent.

"I can't speak highly enough of the group," Lucas said.

Its 7-6 win-loss record now has given it a game break over Bendigo, which succumbed to the Lynx in Perth 68-86. Asia Taylor led the home team with 33 points.

WNBL Round 9 Results
MAC ADELAIDE LIGHTNING 82 (Nicholson 26, Seekamp 14, Coffey 12, Alexander, Blicavs 10; Alexander 11 rebs; Seekamp 10 assts) d SYDNEY UNI FLAMES 72 (Smart 14, Greaves 13, Tupaea 12, Panousis 10; Smart 6 rebs; Tupaea 4 assts) at The Law Courts, Bryden’s Stadium.
MAC ADELAIDE LIGHTNING 85 (Nicholson 23, Seekamp 17, Davidson 14, Blicavs 10; Alexander 8 rebs; Seekamp 5 assts) d JCU TOWNSVILLE FIRE 70 (Cocks 17, Malott 14, Garbin, Aokuso 12; Aokuso 9 rebs; Samuels, Cocks 2 assts) at The Fire Station, Townsville Stadium.
PERTH LYNX 86 (Taylor 33, McPhee 20, Ebzery, Schwagmeyer 10; McPhee 10 rebs; McPhee 5 assts) d BENDIGO BANK SPIRIT 68 (Payne 27, Wehrung 16; Tobin 13 rebs; Turner 6 assts) at The Enclosure, Bendat Stadium.