Loyd tallies 32 points as Seattle out-duels Phoenix

PHOENIX – In their third time meeting this season, the final score boiled down to the Western Conference team that played the hardest. In this case, that team happened to be the Seattle Storm.

Saturday night’s back-and-forth affair was made possible by Seattle’s third quarter surge, allowing the Storm to down Phoenix, 97-91 on the road.

With just over a minute left to play, Sami Whitcomb dished the ball over to the league’s leading scorer, Jewell Loyd, who threw it up for three. On Seattle’s next possession, Whitcomb tossed the ball up, hoping to extend the shot clock. Instead, the three-point standout drained three and put the Storm ahead of its rival for good.

During the third-quarter stretch, Seattle tightened up on the defensive end of the floor and forced Phoenix into seven turnovers, notching 12 points off the Mercury’s miscues. By the end of the quarter, the Storm had poured in 27 points, nearly double of that from the Mercury (15 points). 

Seattle dominated on the boards, logging 36 rebounds compared to Phoenix’s 27. Seattle’s offensive boards made all the difference, with 12 rebounds compared to Phoenix’s total four. 

Diana Taurasi built on her offensive momentum from her 10,000th point career game against the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday, as she put up a team-high 28 points. Fellow shooting guard Jewell Loyd matched Taurasi’s energy as the two went head-to-head offensively throughout the contest.

Loyd collected a game-high 32 points, marking her ninth game this season with 30+ points and becoming the only player in the league this year to hit that mark. Loyd has now recorded 18 30+ point games in her career, moving up to ninth in league history, tied with WNBA great, Candace Parker.

Sami Whitcomb turned heads once again from three-point range, connecting on 4-of-7 from beyond the arc including a pivotal bucket in the final minute. Whitcomb claimed her 500th career rebound with her first board of the game, 267 of the 500 rebounds were logged in a Storm Jersey.

Ezi Magbegor scored 17 points and marking her 22^nd game with 10+ points this season. Magbegor exploded in the third quarter when she poured in 11 of the Storm’s 27 third quarter points, her career high in a single quarter.

Gabby Williams brought the heat on both ends of the floor. The vet’s versatility was on display with 14 points, five rebounds, six assists, four steals, a pair of blocks, all without a turnover. That marked the first time in WNBA history a player posted those numbers or better in a game.

Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu came alive in the second half as she notched nine points. Off the glass, the rookie tacked on five rebounds, four of which came on the offensive end of the floor.

UP NEXT

The Storm will head back home to kick off their four game homestand against Connecticut Aug. 8. Tip-off is slated for Noon at Climate Pledge arena. The matchup can be viewed on FOX13+ and NBA TV and streamed locally on Prime Video.

—— StormBasketball.com ——