Skylar Diggins-Smith’s big second half leads the Storm past the Aces 78-65 for 6th straight victory
Skylar Diggins-Smith’s big second half leads the Storm past the Aces 78-65 for 6th straight victory
Seattle Storm guard Skylar Diggins-Smith knocks the ball away from Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum (10) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Las Vegas on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum (10) drives to the basket against Seattle Storm center Ezi Magbegor (13) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Las Vegas on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson, right, is defended by Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, June 7, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum (10) drives toward the basket between Seattle Storm guard Victoria Vivians (35) and guard Jewell Loyd during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, June 7, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
Las Vegas Aces guard Tiffany Hayes (15) looks to pass while Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike, second from left, and guard Jordan Horston (23) defend during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, June 7, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon welcomes players during a timeout during the first half of the team’s WNBA basketball game against the Seattle Storm on Friday, June 7, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
Las Vegas Aces guard Tiffany Hayes falls to the court after being fouled by Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike (3) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Las Vegas on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum, front,steals the ball from Seattle Storm center Mercedes Russell (21) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Las Vegas on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Seattle Storm coach Noelle Quinn calls out to players during the first half of their WNBA basketball game against the Las Vegas Aces in Las Vegas on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Las Vegas Aces guard Tiffany Hayes (15) tries to keep the ball in play as Seattle Storm guard Victoria Vivians watches during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Las Vegas on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Seattle Storm guard Skylar Diggins-Smith knocks the ball away from Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum (10) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Las Vegas on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Seattle Storm guard Skylar Diggins-Smith knocks the ball away from Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum (10) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Las Vegas on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum (10) drives to the basket against Seattle Storm center Ezi Magbegor (13) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Las Vegas on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum (10) drives to the basket against Seattle Storm center Ezi Magbegor (13) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Las Vegas on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson, right, is defended by Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, June 7, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson, right, is defended by Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, June 7, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum (10) drives toward the basket between Seattle Storm guard Victoria Vivians (35) and guard Jewell Loyd during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, June 7, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum (10) drives toward the basket between Seattle Storm guard Victoria Vivians (35) and guard Jewell Loyd during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, June 7, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
Las Vegas Aces guard Tiffany Hayes (15) looks to pass while Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike, second from left, and guard Jordan Horston (23) defend during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, June 7, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Las Vegas Aces guard Tiffany Hayes (15) looks to pass while Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike, second from left, and guard Jordan Horston (23) defend during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, June 7, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon welcomes players during a timeout during the first half of the team’s WNBA basketball game against the Seattle Storm on Friday, June 7, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon welcomes players during a timeout during the first half of the team’s WNBA basketball game against the Seattle Storm on Friday, June 7, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
Las Vegas Aces guard Tiffany Hayes falls to the court after being fouled by Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike (3) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Las Vegas on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Las Vegas Aces guard Tiffany Hayes falls to the court after being fouled by Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike (3) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Las Vegas on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum, front,steals the ball from Seattle Storm center Mercedes Russell (21) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Las Vegas on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum, front,steals the ball from Seattle Storm center Mercedes Russell (21) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Las Vegas on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Seattle Storm coach Noelle Quinn calls out to players during the first half of their WNBA basketball game against the Las Vegas Aces in Las Vegas on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Seattle Storm coach Noelle Quinn calls out to players during the first half of their WNBA basketball game against the Las Vegas Aces in Las Vegas on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Las Vegas Aces guard Tiffany Hayes (15) tries to keep the ball in play as Seattle Storm guard Victoria Vivians watches during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Las Vegas on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Las Vegas Aces guard Tiffany Hayes (15) tries to keep the ball in play as Seattle Storm guard Victoria Vivians watches during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Las Vegas on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jewell Loyd had 25 points and nine rebounds, Skylar Diggins-Smith scored 19 of her 21 points in the second half to go with seven assists, and the Seattle Storm beat the Las Vegas Aces 78-65 on Friday night for their sixth straight victory.
Diggins-Smith scored nine points during Seattle’s 11-2 run, including two 3-pointers, a three-point play and a nice pass to Nneka Ogwumike for a layup, to extend their lead to 74-61 with 2:01 left. Diggins-Smith capped the scoring with 14 seconds remaining.
Nneka Ogwumike and Ezi Magbegor each had a double-double for Seattle (7-3), which made 20 of 22 free throws. Magbegor had 14 points, 15 rebounds and five assists, and Ogwumike added 12 points and 11 boards.
Loyd reached double-digit scoring for the 51st straight game, extending the longest active streak. She also reached 5,000 career points.
A’ja Wilson had 29 points, 13 coming from the free throw line, and 11 rebounds for Las Vegas (5-3). Kelsey Plum added 18 points and Jackie Young, averaging 20.4 points, was just 1 of 12 from the field to finish with three points.
Seattle led 36-28 at halftime behind Loyd’s 15 points, and Magbegor’s 12 points and nine rebounds. The Aces were just 10 of 34 from the field (29%) in the first half with 10 turnovers. Plum led Las Vegas with 14 points, while Wilson was held to six on 2-of-7 shooting.
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