Seattle's Defensive Efforts Leads the Battle against Minnesota, But Storm Fall 82-77

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WNBA Seattle Storm

Seattle's Defensive Efforts Leads the Battle against Minnesota, But Storm Fall 82-77

May 28, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Seattle Storm News Release


MINNEAPOLIS - Gabby Williams scored 20 points - the sixth 20-point game of her career - and the Seattle Storm cut an early 15-point deficit all the way down to one, but fell to the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday night inside the Target Center, 82-77.

Skylar Diggins added 18 points and Nneka Ogwumike had 11 for the Storm.

Seattle scored the first basket of the night before Minnesota ran with a 14-2 lead just 3 minutes, 11 seconds into the game. It grew to 15 by the end of the first quarter at 26-11.

The margin was still 15 at 36-21 with 3:56 left in the half. That's when the Storm started to chip away, getting as close as nine at 36-27 before going into halftime down by 10 at 39-29.

"I think we were a bit stiff and robotic," Williams said of Seattle's slow start. "They're a great, well-coached team, all intelligent players, and I think they were taking away some of our first options - and we didn't punish them."

"Once we adjusted, we were able to come back into it once we started to focus on ourselves," Williams added.

A driving lay-in by Ezi Magbegor off a feed from Williams capped a 10-0 run and brought Seattle within one at 48-47 at the 2:37 mark of the third. Twice during the fourth quarter, the Storm again cut it to one, 54-53 at the outset on a lay-in by Dominique Malonga and 60-59 on a lay-in by Williams with 6:49 still on the clock.

The Lynx responded every time, going back up by as many as seven at 76-69 with 2:17 to go before hanging on in the final minute.

"When we get down early, we have to find ways to get back in the game - it's a four-quarter game," said Magbegor, whose team-high 10 rebounds marked her first double-digit game of the season. "It's learning how to string possessions, getting stops in a row, getting baskets in a row. It's getting a better start and not having to dig ourselves out of things like that."

Courtney Williams led Minnesota with 23 points. The Storm was able to clamp down on Napheesa Collier, she shot her lowest point total of the season at just 16 points.

"One of the biggest things was free throws - they're one of the top teams in the league (averaging 23.5 attempts per game)," Head Coach Noelle Quinn said. "Part of that is Napheesa's ability to get to the line and draw those fouls. I thought we had foul discipline on her tonight (Collier was just 2 for 2). Others got in and hit their shots, but we were in her space and played her tough. I was very happy with Nneka's effort - that was her assignment."

Along with her 18 points, Diggins had two steals, the first of which was the 400th of her career.

Williams had six of Seattle' 20 assists, the fourth straight game the team has racked up at least that many.

UP NEXT

The Storm are back home on Friday to host the Atlanta Dream in Climate Pledge Arena at 7 pm.

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