The Seattle Storm have lost two of three games since the All-Star break and could be up for a challenge at the surprising Connecticut Sun on Monday in Uncasville, Conn.
Seattle (15-11) remains solidly within the playoff field as the regular-season two-thirds mark approaches, despite a brutal offensive game in a 69-58 road loss to the Washington Mystics on Saturday.
Seattle led by five points after the first quarter, but scored just 37 points in the game’s final three periods. For the game, the Storm shot 22-for-67 (32.8 percent) and 5-for-21 (23.8 percent) from 3-point range.
Seattle trimmed a 58-39 deficit with 1:36 left in the third quarter to a 60-56 gap on an Erica Wheeler floater with 5:02 to play, but could not pull closer.
The Storm were led by Nneka Ogwumike, who shot 6-for-14 for 18 points, but only Wheeler with 12 points joined her in cracking the double-digit scoring mark.
“We have to execute offensively,” Storm coach Noelle Quinn said. “It’s about discipline. Doing the right thing consistently is where we have to be better.”
On the other hand, Connecticut (4-20) has stumbled through a miserable season but suddenly broke through offensively with a 95-64 home win over the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday. A Connecticut team that entered the game last in the WNBA in scoring, overall shooting and 3-point shooting caught fire.
The Sun set season highs in scoring and shooting (35-for-66, 53.0 percent) and made a season-best 12 3-pointers in 29 attempts (41.4 percent).
Leading the scoring outburst was veteran center Tina Charles with 24 points on 8-for-11 shooting from the field. Guards Marina Mabrey and Bria Hartley each tallied 15 points, with Hartley sinking 4 of 8 3-point tries. Reserve Jacy Sheldon added 13 more points.
“We played a great game,” Sun coach Rachid Meziane said. “We had the most deflections all year, we had the most transition points all year … When we do a good thing, we just want to do better the next day.”
This game will be the regular-season finale between these teams, with Seattle holding a 2-1 season series edge.
–Field Level Media
