Despite a disappointing (8-21 ) season record, one the thing that has stood out all season for the Seattle Storm is effort and never giving up. Storm head coach Noelle Quinn has said all season it’s not about the wins and losses but rather improvement each game. The Storm overcame a 16-point third-quarter deficit to defeat the Atlanta Dream 68-67. With the win the Storm have won four of their last six games.
LATE RALLY
Trailing by 16 late in the third quarter and still down 15 in the fourth quarter, Seattle’s offense found its rhythm, using a 16-0 run to take its first lead of the night with 2:19 to go. With 3:03 to play, Jewell Loyd hit a three-pointer and was fouled, converting the free throw to pull the Storm to within one. After another defensive stop, Ezi Magbegor put the Storm up 63-62 with a driving layup.
Atlanta snapped a seven-minute scoreless drought on its next possession as Allisha Gray hit a pull-up jumper at the 2:04 mark. Neither team found the bottom of the basket until Loyd converted an and-one with :13.8 seconds left to put Seattle up for good at 66-64.
The Dream would turn the ball over on its next possession and Sami Whitcomb hit a pair of free throws to make it a four-point game, significant because Rhyne Howard drained a late three with :01.5 to account for the final score.
Loyd sank a floating jump shot with 13 seconds remaining, putting the Storm back up. Loyd notched a free throw followed by two from Sami Whitcomb to seal the game for good.
In addition to outscoring the Dream 21-7 in the fourth, Seattle outrebounded the Dream 14-7 and held Atlanta to 3-of-17 shooting, scoreless for over a seven-minute period. Magbegor recorded her eighth double-double of the season, scoring 17 points and collecting 11 rebounds.
Loyd had a team-high 19 total points, nine of which came in the fourth quarter.
Whitcomb contributed across the board with 11 points, six rebounds, five assists, a pair of steals, and a block. She also connected on a three-pointer to extend her streak of games with at least one made three to 20-straight, the fourth-longest active streak in the WNBA and the second-longest of her career.
Mercedes Russell came off the bench to score nine points, connecting on 4-of-8 from the field while adding five rebounds, a pair of assists and two steals.
Seattle welcomes the Phoenix Mercury for its annual rivalry night on Sunday at Climate Pledge Arena. Tip-off is slated for 3 p.m. and can be watched on Fox 13, NBA TV, and on Prime Video in Washington State.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
STORY OF THE GAME
- Jewell Loyd’s bucket and free throw with :13.8 seconds left gave Seattle the lead for good as the Storm overcame a 15-point, fourth quarter deficit to pull out a 68-67 win over Atlanta.
- The Dream held its largest lead of the game at 56-40 at the 1:52 mark of the third quarter, but Seattle proceeded to outscore Atlanta 28-11 over the rest of the game including a 16-0 run in the fourth quarter.
KEY STATS OF THE GAME
- In the pivotal fourth quarter, Seattle held the Dream to 3-of-17 shooting and a season-low seven points in a quarter. The Storm hit just 5-of-13 from the field in the fourth, but connected on 10-of-12 from the free throw line to outscore Atlanta 21-7.
- Loyd and Ezi Magbegor combined for 18 of the Storm’s 21 fourth-quarter points and poured in 27 combined points in the second half.
STORM HIGHLIGHTS
· Loyd finished with 19 points including seven in the game’s final three minutes. Loyd was two rebounds shy of a double-double, finishing with eight boards while adding one assist and one steal.
· Magbegorrecorded her eighth double-double of the season and 11th of her career with 17 points and 11 rebounds, supplemented by two assists, two blocks and one steal. She joins Lauren Jackson (5x), Breanna Stewart (4x) and Natasha Howard (1x) as the only Storm players with 9+ double-doubles in a season.
· Sami Whitcomb was the third Storm player in double figures with 11 points, sealing the game with two free throws with :05.5 left. Her three-pointer at the 1:42 mark in the third quarter gave her 20-straight games with a made three, tied for the fourth-longest active streak in the WNBA, the second-longest of her career and fifth-longest in franchise history. Whitcomb added six rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block.
· Mercedes Russell came off the bench to score nine points on 4-of-8 shooting, while adding five rebounds, two assists and two steals.
DREAM HIGHLIGHTS
· Atlanta had three players in double figures. Rhyne Howard (20), Allisha Gray (17) and Aari McDonald (10).
RECORDS/MILESTONES
· Thursday marked Kia Nurse’s 150th WNBA game (29th with the Storm).
—— StormBasketball.com ——
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL | HIGH PTS | HIGH REB | HIGH AST |
| ATLANTA | 17 | 17 | 26 | 7 | 68 | R. Howard, 20 | M. Billings, 11 | Gray/McDonald, 3 |
| SEATTLE | 13 | 14 | 20 | 21 | 67 | J. Loyd, 19 | E. Magbegor, 11 | S. Whitcomb, 5 |
