BRADENTON, Fla. — In a matchup between the top two teams in the league by record, the Seattle Storm (11-3) couldn’t come back from an early deficit and fell to the Las Vegas Aces (10-3), 82-74.

Breanna Stewart led the way for the Storm, scoring a season-high 29 points and securing a career-high 18 rebounds in a losing effort. Seattle also received double digit scoring contributions from Natasha Howard (16), Alysha Clark (11), and Jordin Canada (10).

The Storm trailed by just one in the first quarter, but a strong second-quarter push from the Aces increased that deficit to 16. Las Vegas shot 42.9% from the field in the first half, with a big advantage in the post. Seattle, who got 15 points and nine rebounds from Stewart in the first half, shot well below 40% and didn’t register another double-digit scorer until late in the third quarter.

“That’s what they do, they have some physical players,” head coach Gary Kloppenburg said. “Inside players draw fouls, their wings can get to the free-throw line, so we know that’s part of their game you try to minimize. Sometimes it’s really difficult.”

The gap widened in the third quarter, with A’ja Wilson and Angel McCoughtry both registering double-doubles by the end of the third frame, and the Storm trailing by 17.

Seattle made a quick run midway and late through the fourth, and brought the deficit down to as low as five points with 33.7 seconds to play, but couldn’t come all the way back in a loss. The Storm outscored the Aces 22-13 in the final quarter.

“We got through this 10 game stretch 8-2, we’re 11-3, and we have our first off-day since we got here,” Stewart said. “The glory of it is we see Indy and Vegas next week.”

TOP STAT TO KNOW

#SayHerName: It has been 162 days since Breonna Taylor was shot and killed in her own apartment. The officers responsible for her death have not been arrested.

SEATTLE HIGHLIGHTS

• Breanna Stewart secured a career high in total rebounds with 18, and also in defensive rebounds with 17. On top of a strong rebounding effort, Stewart also had a season-high 29 points on 10-of-25 shooting. 
• Forward Natasha Howard scored in double figures, with 16 points, for the third consecutive game after not scoring over 10 points in any of the Storm’s first 10 games. Howard is averaging seven points per game this season.
• The Storm assisted on 23 of their 28 total baskets, good for 82.1% of their total makes. Leading the way was Jordin Canada with seven assists, and Jewell Loyd with six. Seattle leads the WNBA in assists per game with 21.5.