Skylar Diggins converted a driving layup with 3.4 seconds left to help the Seattle Storm post an 80-79 victory over the Atlanta Dream on Thursday in College Park, Ga.
Nneka Ogwumike led the Storm (11-7) with 24 points and seven rebounds, while Erica Wheeler had 21 points and Gabby Williams and Diggins added 11 points apiece for Seattle, which has won five of seven.
Jordin Canada had 25 points and four steals to pace the Dream (11-7), who have dropped three of four. Brionna Jones added 18 points and 10 rebounds, followed by Allisha Gray’s 12 points and 11 boards.
Atlanta star Rhyne Howard sat out with an upper-body injury.
Trailing by a point with less than five minutes remaining, Atlanta scored six points in a row – including Jones’ back-to-back baskets – to take a 75-70 lead with 2:32 left.
Ogwumike’s three-point play was then answered with Naz Hillmon’s layup, before Ogwumike’s mid-range jumper pulled the Storm within two points with 1:06 remaining.
Canada made a pair of free throws before Wheeler’s triple cut the Storm’s deficit to 79-78 with 32.5 seconds left.
After Maya Caldwell missed a triple for Atlanta, Diggins scored the game-winner for Seattle and Canada missed a 3-pointer prior to the buzzer.
After the Storm took a two-point lead into the third quarter, neither team built a lead larger than two until Ogwumike’s triple gave the Storm a 51-46 edge with 4:38 left. Diggins then hit a pair of free throws, before the Dream answered with an 8-0 spurt.
Canada’s jumper gave Atlanta a one-point lead with 1:01 left in the third, but Alysha Clark and Wheeler each connected on jumpers to give Seattle a 59-56 edge entering the fourth.
After Wheeler’s 3-pointer put the Storm ahead 64-60, Griner and Caldwell’s layups stamped a 9-2 run to give the Dream a 69-66 lead with 5:34 remaining.
After Seattle grabbed a 15-13 lead after the first quarter, Brittney Griner and Canada’s baskets stamped an 11-2 Atlanta spurt to begin the second, giving the Dream a 24-17 edge.
Ezi Magbegor and Ogwumike answered with consecutive 3-pointers to begin a 22-13 run to end the first half, as the Storm took a 39-37 lead into halftime. Ogwumike and Williams each paced Seattle with nine first-half points apiece, while Canada led Atlanta with 13.
–Field Level Media
