Ezi Magbegor and Gabby Williams scored 17 points apiece and the visiting Seattle Storm snapped a franchise-worst 10-game losing streak by defeating the Chicago Sky 83-74 on Friday night.
That duo also combined for 15 rebounds, nine assists, three steals and three blocks. Jewell Loyd had 15 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Storm (5-19) and Sami Whitcomb added 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Kahleah Copper led the Sky (9-15) with 17 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Dana Evans had 12 points, while Alanna Smith and Courtney Williams tossed in 10 points apiece.
The Sky have dropped six of their last seven contests, with the lone victory coming at the Storm’s expense. They won in Seattle on Saturday 90-75 behind Copper’s 29 points.
Magbegor and Whitcomb had nine first-half points apiece on Friday as the Storm held a 42-40 halftime lead. Gabby Williams scored on a putback with three seconds left to give Seattle the edge.
Copper topped Chicago before the break with nine points.
Neither side had a double-digit lead in the first half. Seattle’s biggest advantage was nine points; the Sky’s largest advantage was five points.
Seattle opened the second half with an 8-2 run. Loyd hit a 3-pointer and Gabby Williams scored the last five points of the spurt.
An Elizabeth Williams basket midway through the quarter pulled Chicago within six points at 52-46. The Storm responded with an 11-4 run. Loyd scored six of those points and Magbegor contributed a 3-pointer.
Jordan Horston’s layup off a feed from Gabby Williams in the final second of the quarter made it 67-53.
Chicago scored the first basket of the final quarter, but the Storm then went on a 6-0 run on baskets by Williams, Horston and Kia Nurse.
The Sky closed the gap with a 15-4 outburst, pulling within seven at 77-70. Evans capped it off with a 3-pointer with 3:05 remaining, but Chicago’s comeback stalled from that point.
–Field Level Media
