7.28.2023
Whitcomb records first career double-double and Storm outrebounds Sky 46-26 to snap losing streak
CHICAGO – Offensive proficiency off the glass and a big second half helped lead Seattle snap its 10-game losing streak with an 83-74 win on the road in Chicago Friday night.
It was clear that the Storm came to play after its previous loss to the Sky on its home floor. This time, they weren’t messing around.
Seattle dominated off the glass, holding a 46-26 edge on the boards including a 16-6 edge on the offensive end, leading to 26 second-chance points, matching its third-highest total in franchise history.
Four of the Storm’s five starters finished in double-figures led by Gabby Williams and Ezi Magbegor, who each tallied 17 points in the game. Jewell Loyd wasn’t far behind with 15 points while Sami Whitcomb recorded her first WNBA double-double, becoming the fifth oldest player to pick up her first.
The two teams battled back and forth in the first half with the Storm holding a slight 42-40 lead at the break. Chicago opened the second half by tying the game at 42-42, but Seattle responded in a big way, scoring eight-straight points over the next minute and outscoring the Sky 31-13 over a 10-minute span to open up an 18-point lead early in the fourth.
Chicago rallied, using a 15-4 run over the next six minutes to pull within seven at 77-70 with 3:05 to go. But the Storm answered back with a bucket by Magbegor and allowed just one made field goal by the Sky over the final three minutes to hold on for the victory.
Williams found her offensive rhythm at her old stomping grounds with a season-high 17 points—her highest total since tallying 21 when Seattle last played in Chicago in August of last year. She tacked on six rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block.
Magbegor showed up across the board, collecting 17 points, nine rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks. She became the second player to put up those numbers or better in consecutive games, joining future Hall of Famer Candace Parker, who did so in 2015.
Loyd, the WNBA’s leading scorer, started heating up in the second half. In addition to her 15 points, she collected six assists, six rebounds, and a pair of steals.
To top it all off, three Storm starters logged 15+ points, 6+ rebounds and 4+ assists, marking the first time in Storm history and the fourth time in WNBA history the players did so in the same game.
The victory was the Storm’s first against and Eastern Conference opponent this season, snapping a 12-game winless streak against the East in 2023.
Up Next:
The Storm looks to build on its win as it heads to Indianapolis to close its Eastern Conference road trip against the Fever. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m. PT at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The contest can be streamed on ESPN3, Prime Video and will be broadcast locally on FOX 13+
