Reese sets WNBA double-double mark in Sky loss
Written by I Dig SportsSEATTLE -- Nneka Ogwumike scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to help the Seattle Storm beat Chicago 84-71 Sunday despite the Sky's Angel Reese setting the WNBA record for consecutive games with a double-double.
Jewell Loyd, who scored two points on 0-for-5 shooting in the first half, finished with 20 points. Skylar Diggins-Smith had 15 points and eight assists, and Ezi Magbegor added 13 points, 13 rebounds and 4 blocks for Seattle (14-7).
Reese finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds and 4 steals for Chicago (8-12), her 13th consecutive double-double. The rookie posted a season-high 27 points to go along with 10 rebounds in the Sky's 88-84 victory over Seattle on Friday to tie Candace Parker for the longest double-double streak in league history.
Reese made back-to-back baskets before Chennedy Carter twice made a pair of free throws to cap an 11-2 run that trimmed the Sky's deficit to 72-69 with 2:49 to play. Jordan Horston responded with two free throws and then found Magbegor for a layup to spark a string of 12 consecutive points that pushed the Storm's lead to 84-69 when Loyd made a layup with 33.2 seconds remaining.
Carter led the Sky with 21 points and Marina Mabrey added 14 points and six assists. Rookie Kamilla Cardoso finished with 6 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks.
The Sky had four blocks -- including two by Cardoso -- in the first 7 minutes as Seattle started 1-of-15 shooting and Chicago jumped to a 12-3 lead.
Sami Whitcomb's 3-pointer with 7:57 left in the second quarter capped an 11-2 spurt and gave the Storm their first lead, but Reese scored five points in a 10-0 run over the next two-plus minutes that put Chicago in front 32-23 when Mabrey hit a deep 3-pointer with 5:38 left in the first half. The Sky took a 39-31 lead into halftime, but Seattle scored 23 of the first 28 second-half points and outscored Chicago 29-14 in the third quarter. Loyd, who scored two points on 0-for-5 shooting in the first half, scored 12 in the third quarter, and Ogwumike added nine as the Storm took a seven-point lead into the fourth.
The Storm shot 29% (10-of-34) from the field in the first half but made 19-of-35 (54%) thereon.