WNBA Semifinals Game 1 presented by NHL Seattle is set for Aug. 26 at 2 p.m. PT on ESPN2

SEATTLE – The two-time WNBA Champion Seattle Storm will play the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA Semifinals in a best-of-five series. Seattle will own home court advantage, hosting Game 1 presented by NHL Seattle on Sunday, Aug. 26 (2 p.m. PT) and Game 2 on Tuesday, Aug. 28 (7 p.m. PT). Game 5, if necessary, will also take place at KeyArena on Tuesday, Sept. 4 (time TBA).

Phoenix, who entered the WNBA Playoffs at the 5 seed, defeated the Dallas Wings 101-83 in the first round of single-elimination games on Aug. 21, and knocked off the #4 seed Connecticut Sun 96-86 tonight at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Tickets to the WNBA Semifinals at KeyArena are now on sale and can be purchased by calling (206) 217-WNBA (9622) or by visiting StormBasketball.com.   

As the top team in the WNBA, Seattle (26-8) clinched a double-bye to the WNBA Semifinals and home court advantage throughout the postseason. The 2018 campaign marks the Storm’s 14^th postseason appearance in franchise history and second No. 1 overall seed (2010). This is head coach Dan Hughes’ 11^th playoff appearance. He reached the WNBA Finals in 2008 with the San Antonio Stars and has three other trips to the Conference Finals on his resume – San Antonio in 2007, Cleveland in 2000 and Charlotte in 1999.

Seattle’s 26 victories during the 2018 regular season marked the second-most wins in franchise history. The Storm notched three five-game winning streaks in 2018, led by Breanna Stewart, who averaged 21.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, ranking second and third, respectively, in the WNBA. In addition to setting a franchise record for road wins (13) and WNBA record for three-pointers made in a single season (307), the Storm led the league in field goal percentage (46.8), three-pointers made per game (9.0), three-point field goal percentage (37.6) and assists (tied with Chicago at 21.2 per game).

The 2018 campaign marks the third year of the current WNBA playoff format, which debuted in 2016. The top eight teams in the league, regardless of conference, qualified for the postseason. The first two rounds saw single-elimination games, as the #3 Washington Mystics and #5 Phoenix Mercury fought their way to the WNBA Semifinals, which, along with the WNBA Finals, is a best-of-five-series. The top two teams in the league, Seattle and Atlanta, received first- and second-round byes, with Game 1 of the WNBA Semifinals for both series set for Sunday, Aug. 26.

Seattle is 3-5 all-time against Phoenix in the postseason, including 2-2 at KeyArena. The Storm met the Mercury in the first round of the WNBA Playoffs last season, dropping a 79-69 decision at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Ariz.

2018 WNBA Semifinals – Dates

Round/Format              Date                                         Location                       Time (PT)

Game 1                       Sunday, Aug. 26                      Seattle                         2 p.m. (ESPN2)

Game 2                       Tuesday, Aug. 28                     Seattle                         7 p.m.  (ESPN2)

Game 3                       Friday, Aug. 31                        Phoenix                        TBA (ESPNews/NBA TV)

Game 4*                      Sunday, Sept. 2                       Phoenix                        TBA (ESPN2)

Game 5*                      Tuesday, Sept. 4                       Seattle                         TBA (ESPNews/NBA TV)

* – If necessary