CHICAGO – Skylar Diggins scored 24 points and Nneka Ogwumike tallied 21 as the Seattle Storm hung on to beat the Chicago Sky on Tuesday night inside Wintrust Arena, 94-88.

Ogwumike’s total included two clutch baskets down the stretch: a 20-footer for an 86-77 lead with 1:19 to go, and a three to make it 89-79 at 35.7 seconds. 

Dominique Malonga came off the bench for 15 points, seven rebounds, and a career-high three blocked shots. Brittney Sykes added 12, and Ezi Magbegor had 11 plus a team-high eight rebounds and four blocked shots.

The Storm built a lead going into the fourth before the Sky got hot from downtown. But Seattle never let Chicago get closer than six.

“Our last (several) games have been so close,” Diggins said. “We’ve been up, we’ve been down, we’ve been close the whole game. Hopefully, those moments prepare us for things like tonight and being able to execute. 

“Obviously, this is that time in the league where everybody is fighting for position. These last eight or nine games, everybody is fighting for something, and that’s how people are playing,” Diggins added. “When we get a lead, we have to play not just to protect it but play how we were playing when we got it.” 

In addition to her 24 points, Diggins handed out six assists, pushing her past 200 for the year, now with 204; it is her second straight season of topping 200.

Malonga got her 15 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the floor, pushing her past 100 made field goals, as she is up to 106. Still just 19, she is the youngest player in league history to reach the century mark.

The Storm shot 50 percent from the field, hitting 34-of-68, with 8-of-22 from beyond the arc. Of the eight players who saw action, six hit 50 percent or better overall.

In just the fourth quarter, Ogwumike was 4-of-6 overall, including 100% (2-for-2) from three.

“These are shots she practices; she prepares her body for these moments,” Head Coach Noelle Quinn said of Ogwumike. “We know how her mind is for the game in (terms of) leadership – she’s just built for these moments. She’s been an MVP in this league before and so she knows how to do it, how to take over.”

Angel Reese and Ariel Atkins each had 19 points for Chicago.

UP NEXT: The Storm head to Dallas for a matchup against the Wings on Friday, August 22. Tipoff is at 4:30 pm PT and will be broadcast nationally on ION.