Storm Hand Lynx First Loss

In one of their most emotional and electric performances of the season, the Seattle Storm rallied past the previously undefeated Minnesota Lynx, 94-84, on Wednesday night at Climate Pledge Arena.

Nneka Ogwumike ignited the Storm’s comeback with a powerful midrange jumper late in the third quarter, letting out a primal scream as Seattle erased an 11-point deficit. Minutes later, Erica Wheeler sealed the win with a clutch three-pointer, skipping in joy as the Storm handed the Lynx their first loss of the season and tightened their grip on a Commissioner’s Cup championship berth.

Ogwumike led the Storm with 21 points — her highest output in five games — and 10 rebounds, while Wheeler finished with 20 points and nine assists. Five Seattle players scored in double figures, including Skylar Diggins-Smith (18 points, six rebounds), Gabby Williams (12 points, eight rebounds, seven assists), and Ezi Magbegor (13 points, eight rebounds, three blocks). Rookie Dominique Malonga added valuable minutes off the bench, contributing eight points on 4-of-5 shooting.

Seattle (6-4) extended its winning streak to three games and took a 3-1 lead in Commissioner’s Cup play, placing them atop the Western Conference standings. They can clinch a spot in the Cup championship game by winning their final two in-season tournament matchups.

The turning point came midway through the third quarter. Down 60-49 after a Napheesa Collier free throw, the Storm responded with a 13-2 run capped by Ogwumike’s hook shot to tie the game at 62. Her rare emotional outburst energized both teammates and the crowd of 9,722.

With Seattle holding a narrow 85-84 lead in the final minute, Ogwumike drew a triple-team and found Wheeler wide open on the wing. The veteran guard drilled a dagger three with 46 seconds remaining, putting the game out of reach. Wheeler later punctuated the win with a layup in the closing seconds, which sparked frustration from Lynx forward Kayla McBride, who was assessed a technical foul after shoving Wheeler.

Following the final buzzer, an emotional Wheeler wiped away tears during her postgame interview — a testament to the game’s intensity and significance.

Collier led Minnesota (9-1, 3-1 Cup) with 25 points and nine rebounds. McBride added 19 points, while Alanna Smith and Bridget Carleton chipped in 14 and 11, respectively.

Seattle dominated the interior, outscoring Minnesota by 18 points in the paint and winning the rebounding battle 34-26. The win gave both teams a 3-1 Commissioner’s Cup record, but Seattle holds the head-to-head tiebreaker — giving them the inside track to the title game.

The Storm now hit the road for a pivotal three-game trip, starting Saturday with their first-ever matchup against the expansion Golden State Valkyries, followed by stops in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.