7.30.2023
Storm offense shoots season-best 53.4% from the field while the defense allows season-low 62 points against
INDIANAPOLIS – Seattle came into Sunday afternoon’s game eager to ride its momentum from a big win in Chicago Friday and pick up their second-consecutive road win.
With the offense clicking on all cylinders and the defense continuing to clamp down since the start of the second-half of the season, Seattle did just that, outlasting Indiana, 85-62.
Three Storm players scored in double figures: Jewell Loyd, Gabby Williams and Jordan Horston and the team shot a season-best 53.4% from the field to improve to 6-19.
Seattle was dominant on the defensive end of the floor as well, especially with efforts from veteran Mercedes Russell and gritty play against the league’s 2023 overall No. 1 draft pick, Aliyah Boston. Russell played tough defense against Boston in the key, limiting her to four total points in the pivotal first half and 14 total points in the game.
The Storm broke the game wide open with a dominant stretch in the first half, outscoring Indiana 37-8 over a 12:39 span from 5:11 of the first quarter to 2:32 in the second. During that run, Seattle shot 59.1% (13-of-22) while Indiana shot 14.3% (3-21).
Horston came to life in the second quarter, sparking Seattle’s 15-0 run to secure its extended 25-point lead, its largest advantage in a game during the 2023 season. The rookie went on to notch 15 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals.
The Fever came out big in the third quarter, closing the gap to six at 57-51 at the 1:08 mark of the third. But Seattle rallied again, scoring the next 11 points and outscoring Indiana 23-11 in the final period for the win.
Loyd put up a game-high 26 points, her 14th 20+ point game of the season. She added a season-high eight assists along with four rebounds, and two steals.
Williams had another standout performance as she fell back into her offensive groove. Williams recorded her second-consecutive game in double-digit scoring, logging 14 points, collecting two boards and dishing four assists. She also tacked on three steals.
Sami Whitcomb tallied nine points thanks to three made buckets from three-point range. It marked her fourth-straight game with three or more made from beyond the arc. She added six assists, four rebounds and a block.
Ezi Magbegor hit a milestone in the game, becoming the 74th youngest player in league history to log 150 career blocks with four total in the contest. Magbegor swatted away Kelsey Mitchell’s jump shot with 39 seconds winding down on the game clock in the third quarter. Seattle’s All-Star became the fifth youngest player in the WNBA to hit that mark. It also marked her league-best 10th game with 3+ blocks.
Up Next
Seattle will return to Climate Pledge Arena on Wednesday night to host the Dallas Wings. With back-to-back road wins under their belt, the Storm is hungry for more, this time on its home floor. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. PT. The matchup can be watched on FOX13+ and CBS Sports Network as well as streamed locally in Washington on Prime Video.