MINNEAPOLIS–The Storm faced a tough task in its second road game of the year, coming off a loss at Tulsa and facing the Western Conference runner-up in Minnesota.

Seattle (1-2) remained in striking distance deep into the third quarter but a late run put the game out of distance as Seattle dropped the contest 94-70 on Thursday night.

“We have a long term plan here and we’re trying to develop young players,” Storm head coach Jenny Boucek said. “You go up against what I think is the best team in the league, at their place where they’ve been very dominant, and it presents a tremendous challenge – but that’s what we’re after. Going up against all of these challenges and seeing what it can bring out of us, and what it reveals and how we can improve on what we find out.”

Seattle went into halftime trailing by 11 and continued to battle in the third. Minnesota (3-0) hit their first two baskets of the half before Abby Bishop hit a jumper to cut into the lead at 43-31. Alysha Clark, Sue Bird, and Crystal Langhorne chipped in to stay close to Minnesota and a Bird jumper with 5:59 in the quarter made it a 49-38 contest but then it slipped away from the Storm.

The Lynx went on a 12-0 run and it was capped off by a three from Tricia Liston to give them a 61-40 lead. Liston finished with a game-high 15 points.

“They’re a team that’s obviously very talented and they’ve been together now a couple of years, so they’re comfortable and that’s always a huge advantage in this league,” Bird said.

Seattle will wrap up its three-game road trip when it takes on the Sparks on Sunday at the Staples Center.

With Seattle trailing by three midway through the first, Jenna O¹Hea took the pass from Sue Bird on the wing to hit the triple and tie it at nine apiece.

A pair of free throws from Bird cut the deficit back to 12-11 but then Minnesota stepped up its defensive intensity and went on a 7-0 run to finish the quarter up 19-11.

Bird had finished with a team-high 12 points on 6-for-6 from the line and picked up six assists.

After Minnesota pushed the lead to 10 in the second quarter, O’Hea came through again and drilled a three from the right corner to cut the lead to seven. She had eight first half points.

Later in the quarter, Jewell Loyd two-straight baskets when she found an opening on the right wing and drove to the basket for the layup and then broke loose on a fast-break for the uncontested hoop, cutting the Lynx lead to eight.

Two quick baskets from Liston and Rebekkah Brunson pushed the Lynx lead back to 33-22 and forced Seattle to call a timeout.

Brunson, who came in averaging 15 points and 14 rebounds, had eight points and six rebounds in the half.

NOTES:
Along with former teammate and current New York forward Swin Cash, Sue Bird continued to inch closer to Sheryl Swoopes and her 12 points on Thursday puts the veteran at 4,838 points, only 37 points behind Swoopes for 13th on the WNBA all-time scoring list… Seattle has dropped 10 straight in Minnesota… Renee Montgomery continued to provide a spark off the bench and scored 10 points on 3-for-6 from the field… Seattle shot 15-for-16 from the free throw line (93.8 percent)… Five Lynx players scored in double figures.