Ezi Magbegor and Sue Bird combine for 36 points in first game back with Seattle

SEATTLE — A huge fourth quarter by the visiting Connecticut Sun led to a 93-86 loss for the Seattle Storm on Sunday afternoon at Climate Pledge Arena.

While the Storm (5-5) led through much of the game, the Sun (9-3) outscored Seattle 32-19 in the final frame to come away with the win. The Storm offense, which had struggled on Friday, scored a total of 86 points—its third-highest point total of the season. However, the Connecticut offense—led by led by 2021 WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones’s game-high 25 points—pulled away at the end.

Ezi Magbegor and Sue Bird combined to score 36 points in their first games back after missing three due to health and safety protocols. Magbegor had 19 points and added seven rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals, while Bird scored 17 points and had six assists and a pair of steals.

Jewell Loyd scored 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting, adding a season-high seven assists for the Storm which saw all 10 players to see time in the game score and pull down at least one rebound with nine of 10 also adding at least one assist.

Seattle opened the game strong, shooting 70.6% (12-of-17) from the field in the opening frame and led 26-20 after the first 10 minutes. The Storm fought off a late charge by the Sun in the first half to maintain a 43-42 lead at the break.

In the third, Seattle opened on a 10-2 run as Bird connected on a pair of three-pointers—the second of which stretch the Storm lead to 53-44 two minutes into the half. A pair of free throws by Stephanie Talbot with 1:18 left in the third quarter put Seattle up 65-55, but it would be all Connecticut after that. The Sun would outscore the Storm 30-7 over the next 7:15 to go up 85-72 with 4:03 to play.

The Storm mounted a final charge and pulled within four on a three-pointer by Bird with 1:41 to go, but could get no closer as Connecticut held on.

The Storm’s franchise-record eight-game homestand ends on Tuesday as the team hosts the Atlanta Dream at 7 p.m. at Climate Pledge Arena. 

—— StormBasketball.com ——

STORY OF THE GAME

• Seattle led comfortably through much of the game, fending off repeated runs by the Sun through three quarters. But Connecticut would outscore the Storm 30-7 over a 7:15 stretch from late in the third to midway through the fourth quarter to put the game away.

KEY STATS OF THE GAME

• Ezi Magbegor and Sue Bird combined to score 36 points in their return after missing three games due to health and safety protocols. Magbegor had a team-high 19 points while Bird tallied 17.
• While the foul count was relatively even, the Storm went to the free throw line just 13 times to the Sun’s 30. Connecticut went 23-of-30 from the charity stripe while Seattle was 9-of-13.

STORM HIGHLIGHTS

• Magbegor not only led the team in scoring, she added seven rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals. Magbegor continues to lead the WNBA in blocks at 2.9 per game and has now scored 49 points over her last three games (16.3 ppg).
• Jewell Loyd scored 16 points and added a season-high seven assists. Her last dime at the 8:23 mark in the fourth quarter counted for her 700^th career assist.
• Breanna Stewart was one of the four Storm players with finished the game in double figures, with 12 points. Stewie also counted for three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
• Of the 10 Storm players who saw minutes in the game, all scored at least two points and recorded at least one rebound, with nine of the 10 also picking up at least one assist.

SUN HIGHLIGHTS

• Three Connecticut players scored 20+ points, with Jonquel Jones leading the charge with 25 points. Dewanna Bonner and Brionna Jones each added 21 points, with Jones coming off the bench.
• Alyssa Thomas nearly missed a triple-double, recording 11 rebounds, 12 assists and eight points.

MILESTONES

• Jewell Loyd reached 700 assists with a pass to Ezi Magbegor at the 8:23 mark in the fourth quarter.
• Stephanie Talbot recorded her 100th career 3-pointer at 9:34 mark of the second quarter.

NEXT GAME

The Storm plays the Atlanta Dream at Climate Pledge Arena on Tuesday, June 5 to close the longest homestand in team history. The game will be broadcasted locally on FOX 13+ and Amazon Prime Video, and nationally on CBSSN at 7 p.m. PT.