The Seattle Storm, eager to return home after a challenging nine-game stretch, ended their road trip with a 94-83 loss to the Las Vegas Aces on Wednesday night.
Initially, the Storm seemed to be on a winning streak, securing four consecutive victories. However, they struggled in the last five games, with a 2-3 record hinting at possible fatigue. The anticipation of an upcoming nine-game homestand — the longest in WNBA history — might have also affected their performance at Michelob ULTRA Arena.
The Storm had previously defeated the Aces 78-65 two weeks ago and were preparing for the return of Chelsea Gray, who made her season debut after missing 12 games due to a foot injury. Instead, Jackie Young emerged as the key player to watch.
In their previous encounter on June 7, Young, a sixth-year Aces guard, scored only three points, hampered by illness and tight defense from the Storm, who limited Las Vegas to their lowest point total and shooting percentage of the season. This time, however, Seattle’s defense faltered, allowing Young to dominate with 32 points — just two shy of her career high. She shot 11-for-19 from the field and added four rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Young set the tone early, scoring several key baskets that helped the Aces to a 21-11 lead late in the first quarter, prompting a timeout from the Storm. Despite a brief response from Seattle, Young’s relentless drives kept the Aces comfortably ahead.
Former Washington Huskies star Kelsey Plum added to the Aces’ momentum early in the second quarter by setting up Kiah Stokes for a corner three-pointer, extending their lead to 34-16. Las Vegas went into halftime with a 47-32 advantage, tying the most points the Storm have conceded in a half this season.
Seattle showed some resilience in the second half, with standout performances from Nneka Ogwumike, who scored 21 points, and Ezi Magbegor, who contributed 19 points and 13 rebounds. Skylar Diggins-Smith added 10 points and six rebounds, and Jordan Horston chipped in 14 points off the bench.
However, the Storm struggled to recover from a poor shooting night by Jewell Loyd, who went 0-for-9 from the field and ended with just one point, breaking her 56-game streak of double-digit scoring. It was her lowest point total since August 7, 2022.
A’ja Wilson led the Aces with 27 points, nine rebounds, and four steals, solidifying her status as an early MVP contender. Plum added 11 points and eight assists, while Tiffany Hayes and former Storm player Alysha Clark each scored 10 points. The victory improved Las Vegas to 7-6, snapping their own slump after losing four of their previous five games.
The Storm, now 9-6, will look to regroup as they head into their historic homestand.
