Sky return to play Storm after falling on hard times (Jun 11, 2018)
The last time the Chicago Sky and Seattle Storm met, it turned out to be a turning point for both teams.
The Sky entered the May 25 matchup at KeyArena with a 2-1 record, and the Storm were 1-1 and trying to avoid dropping their first two home games of the season.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Sky led by 14 points. But the Storm rallied to force overtime and won 95-91 as Jewell Loyd scored 29 points and Breanna Stewart added 28.
The teams meet again Tuesday night in Seattle.
The Sky (3-5) have lost three of four since that night, including the first two on their current three-game trip.
"The Seattle game was pretty heartbreaking. It's difficult to lose a lead like that, then try to look back and see what we all could have done better," Sky rookie Gabby Williams, the No. 4 overall pick in the WNBA draft out of UConn, wrote on her "View from the Sky" diary on espnW. "It was one of those games where one play could change the whole momentum of the game."
The Storm (6-3) have won four of six since rallying against the Sky.
"They were absolutely marvelous in time and score situations," Storm coach Dan Hughes said of his players after that victory. "Their execution and playing to the right players were excellent."
Both teams are coming off cold-shooting games in losses Sunday.
The Sky suffered a 77-59 defeat at Los Angeles. Chicago shot just 28.4 percent from the field (21 of 74) and made only one of its first 21 3-point attempts.
Cheyenne Parker had 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead Chicago, the only Sky player with more than seven points. Williams, who had 26 points in a 96-79 loss Friday at Phoenix to open the trip, scored just two Sunday on 1-of-11 shooting.
"In college, the season opens in November and you can say, 'OK, by February, I'll have this down.' It's not like that here; we don't have the time," Williams wrote in her diary. "It's hard on your body, it's hard mentally and emotionally. It's straining."
The Storm opened a five-game homestand Sunday with a 67-64 loss to the Atlanta Dream, despite rallying from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to take a late lead.
Seattle shot 33.8 percent (25 of 74) from the field and made a season-low four 3-pointers.
"We want to win at home, especially because it is still early in the season," said Stewart, who played a career-low 20 minutes because of foul trouble and scored just 12 points, well below her average of 20.4 that ranks fourth in the WNBA. "We will be back in the gym (Monday) and be ready for Tuesday."
