Storm lose to Atlanta, record drops to 6-11

 

ATLANTA, Ga. - In the opening contest of a three-game road trip, the Seattle Storm fell 77-64 to the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday at Philips Arena. The Storm is now 6-11 at the midway point of the season.

Jewell Loyd paced Seattle with 13 points – all scored in the third quarter – and Breanna Stewart recorded her sixth double-double of the year with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Sancho Lyttle scored a game-high 22 points on 11-of-13 shooting for Atlanta, which snapped a six-game losing streak one week after falling to the Storm in Seattle.

Both teams shot just above 40 percent from the field Tuesday night, but rebounding was a major factor in the outcome. The Dream secured 16 offensive boards compared to just four for Seattle, winning the overall rebounding battle 38-27. Atlanta’s Elizabeth Williams blocked seven shots, the second most in a single game this season.

It was a low-scoring first half for both clubs, as they headed to the break tied 28-28 after turnovers plagued the Storm and poor shooting hurt the Dream. Seattle had five giveaways in the first six minutes of the game, finishing the half with nine turnovers while shooting 42.3 percent. Atlanta shot just 10-for-33 (30.3 percent) from the field, including 0-of-7 from three-point range.

Loyd picked up two fouls in the first five minutes, forcing her to spend much of the half on the bench. Reserve guards Noelle Quinn and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis filled in nicely, scoring four points apiece to keep the Storm within striking distance. After trailing for the entire second quarter, Seattle tied it up with a Sue Bird jumper in the final seconds.