Minnesota Lynx forward Diamond Miller guards Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd during Friday night’s game at Climate Pledge Arena. Photo by Chuckarelei/Sportspage Magazine
In their fourth matchup of the 2024 WNBA season, the Seattle Storm finally defeated the Minnesota Lynx 91-63 Friday night in front of an 8,320 strong crowd at Climate Pledge Arena.
It was a tight contest in the first quarter as Minnesota jumped out to a 9-2 lead with layups from forwards Dorka Juhasz and Bridget Carleton and a three-pointer from guard Kayla McBride. But the Lynx couldn’t sustain the lead as the Storm came back with an 8-2 run of their own on the back of a layup and jump shot from forward Nneka Ogwumike, and layups from guard Skylar Diggins-Smith and forward Jordan Horston. Minnesota held an 11-10 lead with 5:12 remaining in the first quarter. The Storm scored eight fast break points out of their first ten points to start the game.
McBride was fouled by Storm guard Jewell Loyd while attempting a three-pointer. McBride made all three free throws. Loyd responded with a jump shot, followed with a layup from center Ezi Magbegor and a layup from Ogwumike. McBride ended the 7-0 Seattle run with a three-pointer of her own to tie the game 17-17. The teams traded baskets in the next few possessions and Seattle took a 25-22 lead at the quarter’s end on a three-pointer from guard Sami Whitcomb.
Storm guard Victoria Vivians nailed a three-pointer and scored on a jump shot. Going back to the Whitcomb three-pointer that ended the first quarter, Seattle was now on an 8-0 run. They didn’t stop there. Ogwumike dominated over the next few minutes, going on a personal 8-0 run to extend Seattle’s run to 16-0 and take a 38-22 lead with 5:20 left in the half. The run was killed on a layup by Lynx forward Diamond Miller.
Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride shoots a layup during Friday’s Lynx-Storm game at Climate Pledge Arena. Photo by Chuckarelei/Sportspage Magazine
Neither team could find separation until later in the quarter when Minnesota went on a 7-0 run. Miller and McBride each made two free throws and McBride hit a three-pointer to pull the Lynx to an 11-point deficit. However, Magbegor made a jumper as the shot clock expired to give the Storm a 50-37 halftime lead.
The third quarter featured Magbegor and Lynx guard Courtney Williams exchanging buckets, but the Lynx could not cut into the Seattle lead. The Lynx defense wasn’t getting any stops allowing the Storm to score at will.
After McBride scored a three-pointer to make the score 62-52 in favor of the Storm with 4:47 left in the quarter, Seattle responded with another run. McBride was assessed a technical for an off-the-ball foul. Loyd made the free shot for Seattle. Then Magbegor scored a jump shot. Ogwumike scored a layup and a free throw after getting fouled by Miller. Whitcomb then made two free throws after being fouled by Juhasz. It was now 70-52 after the Storm 8-0 run with two minutes left in the quarter.
Minnesota forward Cecilia Zandalasini connected on a jump shot, which was answered by one from Seattle’s Horston. Zandalasini made two free throws after getting fouled by Horston, which closed out the quarter. The Storm led 72-56 after three quarters.
Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve opted to rest her starters in the fourth quarter. She started the quarter with all bench players in rotation, and only forwards Alanna Smith and Bridget Carleton, both starters, saw the court during the rest of the game.
Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike tries to get past Minnesota Lynx forward Alanna Smith during Friday’s game at Climate Pledge Arena. Photo by Chuckarelei/Sportspage Magazine
Seattle’s Whitcomb opened the final frame with three consecutive three-pointers on a 9-0 run that extended the Seattle lead to 81-56 with 6:57 left to play. Lynx forward Sika Kone was fouled by Storm center Mercedes Russell. Kone made one of her two free throws.
Diggins-Smith was fouled by Alanna Smith. The two Diggins-Smith free throws made the score 83-57 in favor of the Storm. Diggins-Smith was replaced by rookie guard Nika Muhl with 5:50 remaining in the game. Muhl still had yet to score the first points of her pro career. The crowd at Climate Pledge Arena were cheering her on each time the Storm had possession. Muhl’s teammates were trying to get her open looks for the rest of the game.
Despite playing nearly six minutes, Muhl was able to put up two three-point shots but neither of them went in. She remained scoreless. When the final buzzer sounded, Seattle won 91-63.
Seattle went 33-for-71 (46.5 percent) from the field; 9-for-26 (34.6 percent) from three-point range; and 16-for-17 (94.1 percent) from the free throw line. They gave up 11 turnovers for 18 Minnesota points.
“One of our points of emphasis was to defend the three-point line,” said Storm head coach Noelle Quinn. “Thirty-five or forty percent of what Minnesota does is from the three-point line. They’re shooting at a 40 percent clip so it’s not enough to close out and run them off the line.”
Minnesota went 19-for-62 (30.6 percent) from the field; 7-for-30 (23.3 percent) from three-point range; and 18-for-23 (78.3 percent) from the charity stripe. The gave the ball up 16 times leading to 13 Seattle points.
Seattle Storm forward Jordan Horston battles for a tip off against Minnesota Lynx forward Diamond Miller during the third quarter of Friday’s game at Climate Pledge Arena. Photo by Chuckarelei/Sportspage Magazine
“Seattle played great and we were a no show,” said Reeve. “We were awful at both ends of the floor, to be honest with you. In our level of trust and our identity, we didn’t play it… It got to the point where it was clear we weren’t going to be competitive enough. Overall, disappointing.”
The Storm was led by Nneka Ogwumike’s 26 points. Jewell Loyd and Sami Whitcomb added 14 points each. Ezi Magbegor and Skylar Diggins-Smith each pitched in for 10 points. Magbegor and Victoria Vivians each pulled down eight rebounds, while Skylar Diggins-Smith dished 12 assists.
“We’ve been doing a lot of things with matchups over these last five games, just going back to our baseline and understanding our philosophy,” said Ogwumike. “It helped us get the stops that we needed to be able to turn that over into points on the other end.”
The Lynx were led by 27 points from Kayla McBride. Dorka Juhasz led the team in rebounding with seven, and Alanna Smith’s five assists were a team-high.“I just don’t think that we started with good energy from the beginning. I don’t think we ever found a rhythm. I just think that we came out flat,” said McBride. “This is a team that we already beat three times, on their home court we can’t come out flat like that. We just didn’t have that same mindset to come in and win the game on the road and what it takes to do that.”
Minnesota (16-7) returns to Target Center to host the Indiana Fever (10-14) at 3 p.m. CT on Sunday. Seattle (15-8) hosts the Atlanta Dream (7-15) at Climate Pledge Arena at 5 p.m. CT also on Sunday.
