A relentless effort on both ends of the court led the Seattle Storm to a 89-79 win over the New York Liberty on Sunday, marking their third consecutive victory. Nneka Ogwumike scored a game-high 26 points, and running mate Skylar Diggins chipped in 20 points and handed out six assists.
Gabby Williams recorded her first career in doubles and assists with 10 assists and 12 points. It was the second consecutive game in which Williams recorded a double-double. Her first career double-double was in the Storm’s win over Las Vegas on Friday night. In that game Williams scored 18 points and snatched 12 rebounds.
SENSING AN OPPORTUNITY
Facing a short-handed Liberty team without starters without Sabrina Ionescu (concussion) and Jonquel Jones ( ankle injury), the Storm made an early statement in the second quarter after the first quarter ended tied at 22. A 13-5 run saw the Storm enter the halftime break with a 43-42 lead.
BACK AND FORTH, THIRD QUARTER
The Storm defense turned the screws on the Liberty in the third quarter. The Liberty committed nine turnovers and scored just 19 points in the quarter. Twelve of the Storm’s 25 third-quarter points were off the Liberty’s nine turnovers.
“We have players who have been in the league for a long time, and they know that moments and possessions matter,” Head coach Noelle Quinn said after the game. “Throughout the game, the hustle plays – those are the plays that get you over the hump. You have to come up with opportunities and capitalize on them. I thought today, the extra effort was great to see.”
CLOSING OUT THE GAME
A composed and determined Storm held the Liberty to just 18 points in the fourth quarter. The Liberty made five of 14 shots from the field for a 35.7 % shooting percentage. The Storm made nine of 22 shots from the field for a 40.9 shooting percentage.
KEY STATS OF THE GAME
· This marked the fifth time that Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins each scored 20 points in the same game as teammates, which ties Lauren Jackson and Iziane Castro Marques for the fifth-most such games by any Storm duo in franchise history.
· Seattle’s 11 steals and 22 points off turnovers both marked the most by any Liberty opponent in a game so far this season.
· The Storm held New York to a season-low eight fast-break points.
· Seattle grabbed six offensive rebounds in the first half, matching the team’s season high for offensive boards in a single half.
· All five Storm starters recorded at least one steal, with four starters grabbing multiple steals.
STORM HIGHLIGHTS
· Nneka Ogwumike matched her season highs with 26 points and 12 field goals made as she shot 70.6% (12-for-17) from the field and 40% (2-for-5) from deep. Ogwumike grabbed seven rebounds to pass Tina Thompson (3,070) for ninth on the WNBA’s all-time rebounding list. She also added two steals while blocking two shots for her 250th career block, becoming the fourth player in WNBA history to record at least 600 steals and 250 blocks in her career. Ogwumike scored 13 points in the fourth quarter for her highest-scoring quarter of the season.
o Gabby Williams set her career high with 10 assists and added 12 points for her first career points/assists double-double. After recording the first double-double of her career last game, she became the first player in WNBA history to record her first career points/rebounds double-double and her first points/assists double-double in consecutive games. She added six rebounds as she tied her season high for rebounds in a half with five before halftime. Williams, the league leader in multi-steal games with 10, added four takeaways against New York, including two in the first quarter as she leads all players in first-quarter steals with 16 this season. Williams has now recorded at least four assists in seven consecutive games, matching the longest such streak of her career.
o Skylar Diggins dropped 20 points with six assists to go along with two rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. This marks her 13th time recording multiple steals and multiple blocks with at least five assists, passing Sheryl Swoopes and Breanna Stewart for the fourth-most such games in WNBA history. Diggins scored 12 points in the third quarter for her second consecutive game with a double-digit scoring performance in the third. This was Skylar’s 48th career 25-point scoring performance, matching Candace Parker for the 13th-most such games in WNBA history.
· Alysha Clark knocked down her 1,000th career field goal as she scored four points on 67% (2-for-3) shooting from the field. Clark added a pair of rebounds and a steal off the bench.
· Ezi Magbegor finished with six points, eight rebounds and a season-high three steals, including her 150th career takeaway as she passed Jordin Canada for 10th on the franchise’s all-time steals list. Magbegor tied her season high for offensive rebounds in a single half with four before halftime and ended with a game-high five offensive boards, also matching her season high.
LIBERTY HIGHLIGHTS
· Breanna Stewart led the Liberty with 18 points and nine rebounds, while Marine Johannès added 17 points.
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