Another record-setting night for Jewell Loyd, another loss for Storm

In an all too familiar tune, Storm All-Star Guard Jewell  Loyd sets personal and or league offensive record and the Seattle Storm lose.  Loyd tied a WNBA record with three-pointers and finished with  39 points in the Storms’s 93-86 loss to the Washington Mystics.

Loyd tied a WNBA record with nine three-pointers in the game and finished with 39 points. Of the nine times a WNBA player has scored 39 or more points in a game this season, Loyd has tallied three of those.

Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu continued to shine in her second WNBA start. The rookie got into a rhythm early on, propelling the Storm with 12 points and 11 rebounds, her second consecutive double-double, becoming just the third Storm record to collect double-doubles in consecutive games, joining Seattle greats Lauren Jackson and Breanna Stewart.

Gabby Williams returned to the floor for her second season in Storm colors. In her first 2023 season appearance, Williams eased back into the game and recorded a pair of rebounds, assists and one steal during her 20 minutes on the floor.

All-Star reserve Ezi Magbegor contributed 12 points and nine rebounds throughout the matchup while fellow Aussie Jade Melbourne came alive in the second half notching a total eight points, three assists and a career and game-high four steals.

Seattle got off to a hot start in the first quarter, something the Storm’s struggled with in its past few contests. However, the Mystics answered, and clawed its way back in the second quarter. The Storm responded with a 27-11 run connecting the third and fourth quarters but couldn’t seem to tie it back up.

Washington’s injuries continued to pile up once Mystics starter Ariel Atkins tweaked her ankle late in the second quarter. The starter’s second-quarter injury left Washington with eight available players in the absence of those already injured. Even with its shortened lineup, Washington capitalized on Seattle’s miscues, collecting 20 total points off Storm turnovers and ultimately emerging victorious

Team	1	2	3	4	FINAL	HIGH PTS	HIGH REB	HIGH AST
Seattle	20	19	15	32	86	J.Loyd 39	D. Fankam Mendjiadeu 11	2 players 3
Washington	26	21	27	19	93	B. Sykes 26	Q Egbo 8	N. Cloud  8

STORY OF THE GAME

• Seattle used a 27-11 run to turn a 25-point deficit to a two-possession game at 84-78 with four minutes left, but could get no closer as Washington held on for a hard-fought 93-86 win.

KEY STATS OF THE GAME

• Loyd tied a WNBA record by hitting nine three pointers in the game, scoring a game-high 39 points—her WNBA-best sixth 30+ point game of the season. She had 29 of Seattle’s 47 second-half points including scoring 18 in the fourth quarter, connecting on 6-of-7 from three-point range to pace Seattle’s comeback attempt over the final 10 minutes.
• The Storm shot 44.8% (30-of-67) in the game, hitting over 40% for the first time in four games, but struggled to contain the Mystics, who connected on 53.7% (36-of-67) in the contest.

STORM HIGHLIGHTS

• Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu recorded her second-straight double-double, logging 12 points and 11 rebounds, making her the third Storm rookie with back-to-back double-doubles (Jackson, Stewart). She also joins teammate Jordan Horston and Indiana’s Aliyah Boston with multiple double-doubles by a rookie this season.
• Ezi Magbegor was one point shy of a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds, her 16th time scoring in double-figures over her last 18 games.
• Jade Melbourne came off the bench late in the third and scored eight of the Storm’s 32 points in the fourth while adding a career-high four steals and three assists.
• Gabby Williams saw her first action with the Storm this season, subbing in with 5:10 left in the first quarter and playing 20 minutes, logging two rebounds, two assists, and one steal.

MYSTICS HIGHLIGHTS

• Brittney Sykes led Washington with 26 points on 12-of-18 shooting from the field, adding five rebounds, three assists, and three steals.
• Shatori Walker–Kimbrough added 16 points off the bench. Tianna Hawkins, who played her 2013 rookie season with the Storm, chipped in 13 points on the heels of a career-high 24 against Connecticut her last time out.

NEXT GAME

The Storm wraps up the first half of its season tomorrow, facing the Atlanta Dream at 4 p.m. PT at Gateway Center Arena @ College Park. Seattle returns to play on July 20, at Climate Pledge Arena, hosting the Las Vegas Aces at 7 p.m. PT.

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