Mystics Rally in Fourth Quarter to Hand Storm a Sunday Loss at Climate Pledge Arena

The Seattle Storm followed up Friday night's 79-65 victory over the Connecticut Sun with a defeat on Sunday afternoon, as the Washington Mystics came from behind at Climate Pledge Arena. Washington outscored Seattle 27-14 in the fourth quarter, wiping out an eight-point Storm lead built on a 27-16 third quarter.

Two Washington rookie All-Stars made important baskets late. Kiki Iriafen finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Sonia Citron added 17 points. Veteran Brittney Sykes scored 10 of her 19 points in the fourth quarter, helping Washington close the game on a 19-6 run. The Mystics also won the battle in the paint 48-30, an unusual result against a Seattle team that is the bigger of the two squads.

Storm head coach Noelle Quinn pointed to the opening quarter as a source of the trouble. Seattle managed only 10 points in the first frame for the second straight game, going 3-for-18 from the field with five turnovers. The team ended the afternoon shooting 36.2%, its third-worst mark of the season. "We allowed their physicality to dictate what we did offensively, which wasn't a lot," Quinn said. Both teams committed 15 turnovers.

Seattle's top scorers had difficult outings against that physical defense. Nneka Ogwumike scored 16 points on 5-for-15 shooting, a notable result given Quinn's stated belief that the team depends on Ogwumike's efficiency to score in the paint. Skylar Diggins started slowly, with air balls in the first quarter, and finished with 10 points on 4-for-14 shooting.

All-Star Gabby Williams was held to six points and asked Quinn late in the game to take her out because of an apparent injury, hobbling off the floor. Quinn had no update on the nature or severity of the injury after the game.

One bright spot was center Ezi Magbegor, who tied for the game high with a season-best 19 points. She scored on drives off fake handoffs and on putbacks, and hit a 3-pointer in the second quarter. It was her fourth consecutive game with 13 or more points, after she entered Sunday averaging just under eight per game. "My teammates, the coaches, everyone has instilled a lot of confidence in me," Magbegor said. Quinn said she sees signs that Magbegor is regaining her health, though she declined to say what the center is recovering from.

Newly added guard Tiffany Mitchell also stood out in her second game with the club. Signed off waivers on Thursday, she played 21 minutes and scored all 12 of Seattle's bench points, including two key three-pointers and several tough drives through the lane. Forward Alysha Clark has been in an offensive slump, with 17 points over her last six games, so Mitchell's arrival could matter going forward. "I'm trying to be me, but within the system that was here before me," Mitchell said.

Seattle has one more home game before the All-Star break, against the Golden State Valkyries on Wednesday, followed by a six-day layoff. The Storm are 0-2 against the Bay Area expansion team. "The Valkyries have our number, and my team knows that," Quinn said, stressing the need for rest and adding that Seattle cannot repeat Sunday's effort.