Alanna Smith added a career-high 22 points in her debut with her new team, Napheesa Collier added 20 points and 12 rebounds and the visiting Minnesota Lynx rallied for an 83-70 victory over the Seattle Storm on Tuesday in a season opener for both teams.
Courtney Williams, also in her Lynx debut, produced 14 points, seven assists and five steals, while Kayla McBride and Natisha Hiedeman each scored nine points for Minnesota. The Lynx rallied from an eight-point deficit in the second quarter.
Nneka Ogwumike put up 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds in her Storm debut and Jewell Loyd added 10 points and 10 rebounds on a rough shooting night. Loyd, who led the WNBA with an average of 24.7 points per game last season, hit just 3 of 19 (15.8 percent) from the floor and scored only two points after the first quarter.
Ezi Magbegor amassed 15 points and nine rebounds and Skylar Diggins-Smith had 10 points and six assists while also playing her first game for the Storm. Seattle is coming off one of the worst seasons in franchise history, having won just 11 games in 2023.
Seattle shot just 1 of 9 (11.1 percent) from 3-point range and 37.2 percent overall from the floor. Minnesota was 7 of 24 (29.2 percent) from long distance and 45.3 percent overall.
The Lynx took control of the game with a 17-4 run to open the fourth quarter, turning a 63-60 lead at the start of the final quarter into an 80-64 advantage with 3:29 remaining.
Both teams got off to a strong start with the Storm leading 28-26 after one quarter. Seattle was up 34-26 early in the second period, but the Lynx closed the first half on a 7-0 run to lead 45-44 at the break following McBride’s tip-in with 11.5 seconds to go.
Minnesota stayed in front after holding Seattle to 16 points and 31.6 percent shooting in the third quarter.
–Field Level Media
