May 18, 2025 - 108 Games Today

Storm Fall In Season Opener Against Mercury

May 18, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Seattle Storm News Release

PHOENIX - It was not the kind of opener that the Seattle Storm had in mind. So, they're already looking ahead to the second game.

"We're not going to be married to this first game," Diggins said, "In this league, you have to be able to respond quickly. We have 48 hours to get back on the court (on Monday in Dallas) and go for a different outcome."

Skylar Diggins scored 21 points and dished four assists, but the Phoenix Mercury scored the first five points and led from start to finish on Saturday night and beat the Seattle Storm to begin the WNBA season for both teams at PHX Arena, 81-58.

Nneka Ogwumike added 12 points, but she was the only other player in double figures for the Storm. Her two steals put her at 620 career takeaways, with that she passed DeLisha Milton-Jones for No. 10 on the WNBA All-Time steals list.

"We have to take a look at it on film and really be better. We have a mature group; we have a pretty connected group. We'll look at and get better from it," said Head Coach Noelle Quinn during her postgame press conference.

Seattle got up five more shots than Phoenix, but they did not fall. The Storm hit 33.3 percent (21 of 63) and were just 3 of 17 behind the 3-point arc (17.6 percent). The Mercury hit 51.7 percent (30 of 58), including 33.3 percent (8 of 24) downtown.

"I thought they did everything better on paper than we did," Diggins said. "We got out-rebounded (38-29), we didn't make our free throws (68.4 percent, 13 of 19), and we missed some shots that were uncharacteristic for us. I think we did get some shots that we wanted to get, but they didn't fall. And I think they took us out of some of our stuff, too."

Phoenix raced to an early 20-6 lead, but Seattle finished the opening quarter on a 9-3 run to get within 23-15.

The teams traded scoring runs through the first part of the second quarter. The Mercury tallied 10 of the first 14 points to stretch its advantage to 33-19. The Storm answered with an 11-3 burst, including eight in a row, and got back within six at 36-30. Phoenix then got the final five points of the half and took a 41-30 lead into halftime.

A traditional three-point play by Diggins cut it back to nine at the outset of the third quarter, 41-33. The Mercury put the next six on the board and stayed ahead by double digits the rest of the way.

Diggins hit 7 of 14 from the field and came up with four steals to go along with her four assists and three rebounds. Ogwumike also was at 50 percent, draining 5 of 10. Ezi Magbegor led the Storm with eight rebounds.

Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas, both newcomers to the Mercury, combined for 47 points. Sabally poured in 27 on 9 of 17 shooting, and Thomas added 20 on 8 of 13.

Rookie center Dominique Malonga made her Storm and WNBA debut with 5:40 left in the first quarter.

UP NEXT

The Storm finish their season-opening two-game road trip on Monday at Dallas. Tip-off is at 5:00 p.m. Pacific time.

Women's National Basketball Association Stories from May 18, 2025

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Storm Fall In Season Opener Against Mercury - Seattle Storm

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Storm Fall In Season Opener Against Mercury

Women's National Basketball Association Stories from May 18, 2025

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