By Wyatt Yearout
The Seattle Storm will close out the 2018 regular season by taking on the Dallas Wings on Sunday at KeyArena. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m./PT. The first 3,000 fans in attendance will receive a Breanna Stewart #Stewie4MVP t-shirt.
HOME TEAM: Seattle Storm (25-8)
VISITING TEAM: Dallas Wings (15-18)
TIP-OFF: 4 p.m./PT
HOW TO FOLLOW
Fans can watch the game on JOEtv or ESPN3, with live stats available at StormBasketball.com. Live updates will also be provided on Twitter by following @SeattleStorm.
LAST TIME OUT
The Storm defeated the New York Liberty, 85-77, in its last contest to officially secure the top seed and home court advantage throughout the WNBA playoffs.
Stewart, the leading MVP candidate, posted her ninth double-double of the season with 22 points and 15 rebounds. Stewart also scored her 2000th-career point, notched her 22nd 20+ point game of the season (setting new Storm record), and made her 259th field goal this season (setting new Storm season record).
With the win, Seattle officially secured a season without back-to-back losses, becoming the fifth team in league history to do so, and the first since 2014. The Storm also knocked down 13 three-pointers on the evening to set a new WNBA record for three’s made a team in a season, now sitting at 296 (previous record was 283).
SERIES HISTORY
Seattle owns an 30-22 all-time advantage over the Dallas Wings, with the Storm winning the last matchup, 97-81, at KeyArena on July 14.
The Storm fell to Dallas, 94-90, it its first matchup this season, nearly completing a 26-point comeback. That loss marked just the second defeat for Seattle this season and, at the time, snapped a five-game winning streak.
Seattle will be going for its third-straight win over the Wings as well the eighth season series win over the franchise (previously located in Tulsa and Detroit). The Storm also won the season series in 2017 (2-1), 2012 (4-0), 2011 (5-0), 2010 (3-1), 2005 (2-0), 2002 (1-0) and 2001 (1-0).
SCOUTING DALLAS
The Dallas Wings defeated the Las Vegas Aces, 107-102, in their last game to clinch the final playoff spot as the No. 8 seed.
Liz Cambage posted 43 points and 13 rebounds for Dallas in the victory. Skylar Diggins-Smith added 23 points and eight assists.
Cambage leads the Wings on the season, currently averaging 23.4 points and 9.8 rebounds per contest.
UP NEXT
Seattle’s next contest will be game one of the WNBA Semifinals. The game date is set for Aug. 26 at KeyArena, with game time to be announced.