Dominating Defense Takes Down Vegas
May 25, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Seattle Storm News Release
SEATTLE - Nneka Ogwumike scored 23 points and grabbed her 3,000th career rebound, and Erica Wheeler added 21 points and seven assists off the bench as the Seattle Storm rolled past the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday in Climate Pledge Arena, 102-82.
Ezi Magbegor and Gabby Williams tallied 12 points each for the Storm (3-1), with Magbegor also reaching a rebounding milestone with her career 1,000th. Skylar Diggins chipped in 10 points and eight assists as Seattle won its third straight contest.
The Storm trailed just twice, both in the opening moments of the game. Up 18-16, they closed the first quarter on a 16-4 run for a 34-20 lead.
Las Vegas came as close as 12 during the second quarter, the last time at 43-31. Seattle then rang up nine straight points and eventually took a 22-point lead into halftime, 58-36. It grew to as many as 27 points during the third quarter at 69-42. The Aces (2-2) never got closer than 17 after that.
"I think they get everybody's best game, and we wanted to give our best while also building our own foundation," Ogwumike said. "Being able to feel this type of connection early feels good. We wanted to string together four quarters, especially after the last game (Friday's 77-70 victory against Phoenix). I think we did a lot better job of that today."
It was Seattle's fourth game of 100-plus points against Las Vegas. Of the other three, two came in 2018 and one in 2020.
"I'm very proud of this group to come out with the energy and the focus," Head Coach Noelle Quinn said. "To have a 34-point quarter wasn't just the offense. It was the defense and igniting the crowd and the energy it creates. The thing I'm proud of is we didn't taper off. We were commanding from the beginning."
The Storm shot a blistering 60 percent for the game (42 of 70), including 67.6 percent (23 of 34) during the first half. Of those 42 makes, 32 were assisted. Along with the eight helpers for Diggins and six for Wheeler, Ogwumike also had six and Williams had five. For the season, Seattle now has 94 assists on its 122 baskets (77 percent).
Wheeler's 21 points was her high with the Storm, as she hit 8 of 11 from the floor (3 of 5 from downtown). Her first make of the day - a 3-pointer during the first quarter - was her 1,000th career field goal, and it was that basket that started the 16-4 scoring surge.
A'ja Wilson led the Aces with 15 points, as the Storm kept her nearly eight points below her 22.7 average. Thanks in large part to Ogwumike's effort on that end of the court, Wilson hit just 5 of 11 for the game.
"I think that started with Nneka - that was her match-up to start the game in the first quarter," Magbegor said. "I think with us, when someone is in that zone on defense, we don't want to let them down. Nneka's doing the work, and we definitely have to hold everyone else to that standard, as well."
For the first time this season, the Storm won the battle of the boards, 34-25.
"That speaks volumes, especially against teams like the Aces, who are very physical," Quinn said. "It puts pressure on them. I've been harping on rebounding with that group - not just the post players, but also our guards. Not just defensive rebounds, but trying to get some extra possessions offensively, and I think we did that today, as well." The Storm had five offensive boards, leading to eight second-chance points.
UP NEXT
The Storm visits the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday. Tip-off in Minneapolis is at 5:00 p.m. Pacific time. The game will be broadcast on KOMO and CW Seattle and streamed on Prime Video for users in Washington state.
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from May 25, 2025
- Dominating Defense Takes Down Vegas - Seattle Storm
- Mystics at Mercury Postgame Information - May 25, 2025 - Washington Mystics
- Postgame Notes - Sparks Defeat Sky, 91-78 - Los Angeles Sparks
- Sky Lose 78-91 on Road against Sparks - Chicago Sky
- Aces Fall into Early Hole, Storm Surge to 102-82 Win - Las Vegas Aces
- Notes: Atlanta Dream 79, Connecticut Sun 55 - Atlanta Dream
- Sun Drops Road Contest to Dream, 79-55 - Connecticut Sun
- Seattle Stays Strong in Win against Phoenix - Seattle Storm
- Preview: Sky Kick off Two-Game West Coast Trip in Los Angeles - Chicago Sky
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