Seattle Falls to Atlanta, 94-87
May 31, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Seattle Storm News Release
SEATTLE - Skylar Diggins scored 20 points, Nneka Ogwumike tallied 16, but the Atlanta Dream eventually pulled ahead in the fourth quarter and beat the Seattle Storm 87-94 inside Climate Pledge Arena.
Gabby Williams and Erica Wheeler added 14 points each for the Storm.
The Storm led for nearly the entire first half, using an 8-0 run to turn an early 3-2 deficit into a 10-3 advantage. It grew to as many as 15 points at 36-21 before they took a 45-34 lead into halftime.
Seattle scored the first three baskets coming out of halftime to build its lead to 51-34.
Ogwumike then hit a runner; Wheeler drained a 20-footer from the right of the lane, and Diggins had a 17-footer from the right of the lane, forcing Atlanta to call timeout.
The Dream then closed the quarter on a 21-9 run to make it 66-63, then tied it at 66-66 on a traditional three-point play by Brionna Jones to start the fourth.
The game was tied at 70-70 with 7:34 on the clock when Atlanta went ahead for good on what amounted to a five-point play by Allisha Gray.
"I think they turned up their aggression and they were getting to the basket and getting fouls and a lot of continuations," Ogwumike said. "We weren't as disciplined at the end of defensive plays, which led to the fouls."
Added Williams, "They were building off their and-ones, and it was deflating for us. They were building off the energy. It was about them being aggressive to the rim, and they were feeding off that."
Gray hit two of three shots for a 72-70 lead, and the Dream retained possession.
The Storm got as close as 82-80 with 3:12 still on the clock before Atlanta pulled away.
Rhyne Howard poured in 33 points, and Gray finished with 28 for Atlanta, which won its fourth straight game.
The Storm topped 50 percent shooting, hitting 34 of 67. Atlanta hit 34.7 percent at 34 of 76, but had nine makes from 3-point range.
"They created a lot of extra possessions with the offensive rebounds," Williams said. "Whenever we got the ball to the rim, we had good percentages. But they had those extra possessions."
Wheeler, who has been a spark off the bench for the Strom in the early part of the season, got the start on Friday in place of Alysha Clark, who was out with an ankle injury. She got her 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting, grabbed five rebounds and handed out five assists. Ezi Magbegor led the Storm with eight boards.
UP NEXT
The Storm faces the Las Vegas Aces again on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. as the Western Conference rivals meet for the second time in a week at Climate Pledge Arena. This game will be the first of the Storm's six Commissioner's Cup qualifying games.
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from May 31, 2025
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- A'ja Wilson's 35 Points Lead Aces to 96-81 Win Over Sparks - Las Vegas Aces
- Sparks Downed by Aces, 96-81 - Los Angeles Sparks
- Seattle Falls to Atlanta, 94-87 - Seattle Storm
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