EVERETT, WASH. – The Seattle Storm tipped off its 20th season with a 77-68 win against the Phoenix Mercury, avenging a loss in its 2018 season opener.

Natasha Howard led the team across the board with 21 points and five steals while grabbing a career-high 16 rebounds. Guard Jewell Loyd followed with 17 points and four assists, and Jordin Canada notched a career-best 16 points and six assists.

DEFINING MOMENTS

• In the fifth minute of the second quarter, Jewell Loyd brought the ball cross-court into the paint, passing to Natasha Howard who scored a running layup bringing the team within two (29-27).
• As the clock wound down in the first half, Natasha Howard took control of the game with 2:15 to the break, contributing five points, one rebound and two steals to tie the game (32-32).
• With four minutes left in the third quarter, the Storm hit back-to-back three-point jumpers from Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Jewell Loyd allowing the Storm to extend its lead to 13 points.
• Crystal Langhorne hit a jumper off an assist from Shavonte Zellous who grabbed the rebound on the opposite end of the court with only 3:44 left in the game (68-59).
• In the final three minutes of play, Jordin Canada scored two points then forced a Phoenix turnover to score a fast-break layup (74-61).

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• In a game that featured both teams trading runs, the steady presence of Natasha Howard (21 points, 16 rebounds, five steals) lifted the Storm to victory in its 20^thseason opener.
• The Storm held its biggest lead of the game in the third quarter, outscoring the Mercury 24-10 in the first nine minutes of the second half.
• Jewell Loyd delivered a three-pointer in the third quarter (8:19) to give the Storm its first lead (34-37) since the 5:50 mark of the first quarter.
• With 40.5 seconds left in the game, Howard recorded her 16^threbound, surpassing her previous career high of 15 set on June 10 vs. Atlanta last season. Jordin Canada also recorded a personal best with 16 points.

KEY STATS OF THE GAME

• Last season, the starting lineup of Jordin Canada, Jewell Loyd, Crystal Langhorne, Natasha Howard andKaleena Mosqueda-Lewis spent four minutes on the floor together. On Saturday, they outscored the Mercury by 13 points in 17 minutes on the court together, and four finished the game with double-digit points.
• Coming off a 29-point, 14-rebound effort in Game 3 of the 2018 WNBA Finals, Natasha Howard recorded another double-double with 21 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. She also hit a three-point field goal with 2:09 left in the 3^rd Howard was 17-52 from three-point range last year.
• Brittney Grinerand DeWanna Bonner were the only Phoenix players to score in the second half, combining for 36 points. Bonner scored a game-high 31 points.
• With the win, the Storm improves to 10-10 all-time in season openers and 12-8 in home openers.
• The Storm played its first regular-season game at Angel of the Winds Arena in front of a sellout crowd of 8,500.

UP NEXT

After opening the season in Everett, Wash., the Storm embarks on a three-game road trip to play the Minnesota Lynx on Wednesday, May 29 at 5 p.m. PT, followed by visits to the Atlanta Dream on Friday, May 31 at 4:30 p.m. PT and the Chicago Sky on Saturday, June 1 at 5 p.m. PT. Seattle will return home on Tuesday, June 4 to host the Minnesota Lynx at the Angel of the Winds Arena at 7 p.m. PT.