Connecticut Sun fall to Seattle Storm, 95-72

Connecticut ends first half of the season by falling to red-hot Seattle

Storm 95 Sun 72

The first half of the WNBA season ended for the Connecticut Sun on an overall upswing, but with Sunday's result, a 95-72 loss to the Seattle Storm, it wasn't as easy to judge the significant progression of the Sun through these first 11 games.

That was due, in part, to Seattle, the league's best team at 10-1.

"You've always got to credit Seattle," Sun coach Curt Miller said. "They've got a veteran group that's used to playing together and they're incredibly in a groove right now. You make a mistake, they exploit you. We had just a few too many missed assignments on defense and they're going to make you pay for it.

"We made the conscious decision that Tuesday is a huge game for is. We needed to get some rest with some players. We shut it down earlier than normal, but Tuesday's a big game for us."

MVP candidate Breanna Stewart led the Storm with 19 points, five rebounds and three assists, despite playing just 4 minutes, 23 seconds of the first quarter after picking up two quick fouls. Sami Whitcomb had 14 points, including a buzzer-beating 40-footer at the end of the third quarter and Sue Bird had 13.

Natasha Howard scored 12 points and added 11 rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots for Seattle and Jewell Loyd 11 points, giving the Storm five players in double figures as they led from start to finish on the way to their eighth straight win. It's Seattle's best 11-game start in franchise history.

The Sun had won three straight games and gone 4-1 in the last five after starting the season 0-5. And they kept Seattle within nine points at halftime, trailing 42-33 on a scoop shot by Seattle's Jordin Canada to close the second quarter.

The Storm got back-to-back 3-pointers in the third quarter, however, from former UConn greats Stewart and Bird to take their biggest lead of the game at 5643 and, following a basket by Connecticut's Brionna Jones, Bird scored off the dribble to keep the lead at 13.

Bird hit another 3 from the left-hand corner, fin

“Offensively, they're really hard to stop. They're extremely talented at each position. They're definitely hard to guard.”

JASMINE THOMAS, ON SEATTLE STORM