SEATTLE NOTES
Game Highlights
• Seattle led 62-61 when Breanna Stewart hit a 3-point field goal with 8:19 to
go in the game, igniting a 16-2 run that put the game away. She had 8 of the 16
points in that run.
• Seattle has secured home court advantage throughout the 2018 WNBA Playoffs.
The only other season that Seattle entered the postseason as the #1 overall seed
was 2010, the same year the team won its second WNBA Championship.
• On Seattle’s first made three-pointer (Breanna Stewart, 9:10 in first
quarter), the Storm broke the WNBA’s single-season record for three’s. The
previous record was Phoenix (283), achieved in 2007. Seattle now has 296 on the
year.
• With a 22-point performance tonight, Breanna Stewart broke her own
single-season franchise record for 20-plus point games, earning her 22nd
tonight. Her previous record was 21, achieved in 2017.
Key Stat Of The Game
• Breanna Stewart’s 9th double-double of the season was extremely efficient. She
only took 8 shots from the field, making 6, and was 5 of 6 from three-point
range. She added 15 boards, 2 assists, 2 blocks and an assist.
STORM PLAYER NOTES & TEAM HIGHLIGHTS WNBA MVP CANDIDATE BREANNA STEWART
• Breanna Stewart’s 15 rebounds, combined with her 22 points, mark her 9th
double-double this season, 30th of her career.
• With 22 points tonight, Breanna Stewart, who has scored 727 points this season
and needs to score 12 points on Sunday vs. Dallas to match the franchise’s
single-season scoring record, currently held by Lauren Jackson (739 points,
2007).
• Storm forward Breanna Stewart, who entered today’s game averaging 22.0 PPG,
second-best in the league, scored 22 points. She reached the 2,000-point plateau
with a free throw at the 6:05 mark of the 4th quarter and is the fourth-fastest
and second-youngest WNBA player to achieve this feat.
• With 5 three’s, Breanna Stewart tied a career-high for three’s made, which she
has now achieved 2 times.
• Breanna Stewart added 2 assists and 2 blocks, while shooting 83% from distance
(5-for-6), in 35 minutes of play tonight.
• Tonight marked Breanna Stewart’s 100th-career game.
WNBA MOST IMPROVED PLAYER CANDIDATE NATASHA HOWARD
• Natasha Howard scored 12 and grabbed 8 rebounds. Her +23 plus/minus number (in
23 minutes played) was a team high.
SUE BIRD
• Guard Sue Bird recorded a game-high 6 assists. She now has 221 assists on the
season, tying her own franchise record for assists in a season. (2003, 221)
• Sue Bird connected on 3-of-4 from distance, bringing her season 3FGM% to
44.8%, the best of her career. (44.4%, set in 2016)
JEWELL LOYD TEAM SCORE RECORD HIGH POINTS HIGH REBOUNDS HIGH ASSISTS New York 77
7-26 Charles (21) Stokes (15) Boyd (5) Seattle 85 25-8 Stewart (22) Stewart (15)
Bird (6)
• Guard Jewell Loyd finished with 9 points, 2 rebounds and 5 assists.
ALYSHA CLARK
• Forward Alysha Clark scored 9 points, making all three of her two-point
attempts. She is one of the best all-time WNBA shooters from that range.
CRYSTAL LANGHORNE
• Veteran Chrystal Langhorne came off the bench to record 8 points (tied for 3rd
highest for her this season) and 5 rebounds (one board off her season high) in
16 minutes of action.
• Seattle’s 85-77 win tonight clinches the Storm’s flawless bounce-back record.
The Storm did not lose back-to-back games in 2018, the only WNBA team to achieve
that feat in 2018 and the fifth team to do so all-time in WNBA history. (Phoenix
2014, Connecticut 2012, Houston 2000 & 1998)
• Seattle set a franchise record for points scored. With one game remaining, the
Storm have scored 2,872 points. (2017, 2,808 points)
• Seattle is now 23-4 with the starting line-up of Sue Bird, Jewell Loyd, Alysha
Clark, Breanna Stewart and Natasha Howard.
• The Storm set a WNBA record for three-point field goals made in a season with
296. (2007, Phoenix, 283)
• The Storm had double figure three-point field goals made for the 13th time
this season and 7th time in the last 11 games.
• Seattle won despite committing 19 turnovers. (2nd most, tied, in 2018)
• Seattle, leading 46-43 at the break, is now 21-1 when tied or leading at
halftime.
• With today’s win, Seattle takes the season series over the New York, 3-0, the
9th series win over a team this season (Atlanta 1-2 and Dallas 2-1 with one game
to play). The Storm has now swept four season series, 3-0.
• Coach Dan Hughes has led the team to the best season-to-season turnaround in
franchise history with a 10-win improvement over 2017. (2009, 20 wins to 2010,
28 wins)
LIBERTY TEAM NOTES
• Katie Smith is the second former Storm player to come back to Seattle as a
WNBA head coach. (Sandy Brondello)
• Tina Charles had her 17th 20+ point game of the season and 5th in a row.
• Kiah Stokes had a season high 15 rebounds (12 at Indiana on 6/2), two shy of
her career best. She added 3 blocked shots, the third time she has done so this
season.
• Sugar Rodgers notched 12 points, all of which came in the fourth quarter, as
she drained four of eight looks from behind the arc.
• Four Liberty players had to sit out the game with injuries (Epiphanny Prince,
Kia Vaughn, Amanda Zahui B and Shavonte Zellous)
STORM QUOTES:
STORM HEAD COACH DAN HUGHES
(On the game overall) “Well I thought New York really competed. I thought Tina
Charles was Tina Charles so it became a tough game for us. The thing I told the
team at halftime was that it’s supposed to be tough this time of the year, it’s
just supposed to be. They wouldn’t go away, we’d make a run, they’d make a run,
but I thought the key was that we took better care of the ball down the stretch.
We had some issues not valuing the ball. I thought [Breanna] Stewart really made
some big plays. The ones that we all see when the points go on the board but she
made some tough plays rebounding-wise. She made some defensive presence plays
and I thought that really shot us forward down the stretch as well.”
(On Breanna Stewart’s impact) “That’s the thing having my first year with
Stewart is that there’s so many factors that she helps you win by. Not just put
up numbers, she helps you win games. She does tough things. She impacts the game
in a direct line with success – with winning. I kind of thought she was that way
but, yeah, she’s truly a great player that understands greatness in more than
just scoring or drawing attention to herself. She seeks greatness because she
seeks winning. If that’s a defensive presence, if that’s a defensive rebound, if
that’s a hustle play, if that’s a hard drive, she gets that, and that I have
learned to cherish.”
STORM FORWARD BREANNA STEWART
(On the fourth quarter play) “We felt like, eventually, we were able to get back
into our rhythm. And we were a little bit more aggressive in that fourth
quarter. I had some good looks and we were able to bring it all together.”
STORM GUARD JEWELL LOYD
(On being number one seed) “We obviously knew it was there. I don’t think that
we have been caught up on it. We like knowing that it’s in our back pocket, but
we are just trying to get a good rhythm. Playing in front of our fans, they
energize us, and we want to finish out the season strong. This is pretty
awesome, I hadn’t really thought about it until just now. Once it sets in, we
will just be focused, and come out on Sunday.”
(On what makes Stewart the MVP) “You look at the stats and it’s pretty evident.
What’s she’s doing and how’s she doing it, is really phenomenal. It hasn’t been
just one month, or just one game, it is every single game. If we need a bucket
she is there, if we need a big stop, she makes a block. She is making the right
shots, she is making the right reads. She is just consistent.”
STORM GUARD SUE BIRD
(On the fight that the Liberty put up)
“No, I’m not surprised. This is the same game that we played against them a week
ago. We were expecting that. Unfortunately, I have been on teams where at the
end of the season we aren’t in the playoff run, it doesn’t mean you just roll
over and die. You play for pride, you play for each other. Especially if they
sense that they have a chance, it’s going to light their fire. I think that is
what happened, as the game went, they sensed that they had a chance. Luckily, we
were able to make enough plays at the end to extend that lead and have that
cushion. ”
(On the 29 points of three-pointers)
“Our game plan is not to go out there and shoot a ton of three’s. I think that
we have capable three-point shooters and when they are open they are going to
shoot them, and that’s what you saw. Yeah 29 is a lot of three’s, but we had
some great clips. We have that ability. There have been some games this season,
similar to tonight, similar to the last time we played New York, where the game
goes and all of the sudden we expand the lead just like that. It doesn’t always
work out that way but when it does, we put teams away in a blink.”
LIBERTY QUOTES:
NEW YORK LIBERTY HEAD COACH KATIE SMITH
(On the game) “It’s a repetitive record for us. We’re in games and the third
quarter is usually somewhat of a deciding factor for us. We’re in ballgames,
we’re tied, we’re doing stuff then there’s a period of time where we don’t hit
shots, we turn it over and the other team takes advantage with offensive
rebounds, finishing layups, knocking down shots – that’s the gap. We then can’t
get ourselves back into it. We have to get shots on the rim and can’t let them
make runs like that. Teams are too good and we can’t spot them like that in
those little stretches. Usually there’s one point during the game that allows
them to get that 10-point cushion and then we can’t quite get it over the hump.”
(On what she’s telling the team as the season nears the end) “Play hard. Ever
since we found out we’re out of playoff contention they’ve still battled. We’ve
got a lot of people playing minutes who didn’t play that many early. There’s
always something to improve upon, always something to do to earn a spot next
year or earn more money somewhere. Again, it’s a pride thing of going out and
competing. I have been proud of them every night they’ve come out. A lot of
people are asked to play a ton of minutes and they’ve been willing to do so. I’m
happy and proud of their effort, but again, lots of little things we can do
better and we’ll keep coaching them.”
(On Seattle) “They’re solid. The young bucks have grown up. They’ve got multiple
go-to players who are going to consistently drop 15 or 20 points a game. You
have the best point guard in the league delivering it and a bunch of other
players who fill in and do their jobs. Obviously Natasha Howard has had a heck
of a year coming off of Minnesota and just growing into her own. They have lots
and lots of pieces to work with, but the main three that they have – if you get
that every night, they’re a tough match up.”
NEW YORK LIBERTY CENTER TINA CHARLES
(On the game)
“I thought we fought hard and gave a great effort. We were in there in spurts.
In the first quarter, they got a big jump on us and we cut down their lead by
halftime. Everyone played well and contributed seeing how we only have eight
players.”
(On what the difference was down the stretch)
“That’s what the great teams do. They have great chemistry and a great coach.
They’re supposed to be doing that.”
(On nearing the end of the season)
“I take pride every time I put on this uniform. It’s no secret the state of our
organization and the sale of it – you never know what’s going to happen next
year. Me wanting to come here and play in New York and play for my hometown team
– I’m very thankful to be wearing this uniform. I just go out and play hard. For
everyone else, I can’t really say where they are. It’s kind of hard for some
players to not be in the postseason and not even making double-digit wins. For
me, I just take pride putting on the uniform and just go out and play hard.”
