In their final dress rehearsal, coach Noelle Quinn hoped the retooled Phoenix Mercury would give the Storm a staunch challenge to force her to play Seattle’s starters in the fourth quarter and a little longer than Saturday’s exhibition opener.
However, Jewell Loyd and Nneka Ogwumike had other ideas.
Loyd scored a game-high 18 points and while Ogwumike, who struggled in her debut with her new team three days earlier, added 15 to lead the Storm to an 85-59 wire-to-wire rout Tuesday night at Climate Pledge Arena.
“We felt more comfortable tonight based on our game plan,” said Loyd, who connected on six of 15 field goals and collected five rebounds. “All of us mentally and physically turned it up a notch, which allowed us to play free and play a little bit more in transition.
“I still think we can do that more. Every day we’re building to get better. We’re not trying to rush the process, and we’re still figuring each other. But tonight, it was great to see the hope and the vision and kind of see it all come together.”
The lopsided win ruined Quinn’s plans for the starters, who watched the final 15 minutes on the bench.
However, with the stars sidelined, Quinn got a long look at Storm reserves, including second-year forward Jordan Horston and rookie guard Nika Muhl, who made their preseason debuts.
Horston, who had right shoulder surgery in the offseason, looked rusty offensively while connecting on one of six shots, but she finished with a game-high nine rebounds in 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, Muhl, who received big applause from fans when she entered for the first time late in the first quarter, looked impressive at times.
“She was solid,” Quinn said. “The thing that was very evident is she’s a natural leader. She uses her voice a lot. Defensively she was solid, and I think that matters at the point guard position.
“She commands her teammates to do whatever is necessary and whatever I need or whatever she needs.”
The former Connecticut Huskies standout took command of Seattle’s second unit, which included veterans Sami Whitcomb, Mercedes Russell, Joyner Holmes and Horston.
Muhl rattled in a corner three-pointer and drained a midrange jumper for six points, three rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes. Second-year guard Kiana Williams had nine points, including three three-pointers.
Early on, the Storm took control as each of their starters scored in the first five minutes. Horston gave Seattle an early 26-13 lead with a layup, and Russell finished the first quarter with a short jumper to go up 28-18.
The Storm extended their lead to 45-28 at halftime.
Phoenix didn’t play its starters (Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, Kahleah Copper, Natasha Cloud and Sophie Cunningham) in the second half.
Taurasi tallied 10 points for the Mercury, who played their first preseason game and wraps up the exhibition season Friday.
Meanwhile, the Storm, who lost 84-79 in the WNBA Canada Game against the Los Angeles Sparks in Saturday’s preseason opener, used Tuesday’s outing as one last tuneup before Tuesday’s regular-season opener.
Ogwumike rebounded from a 1-for-6 shooting display three days earlier and canned six of eight field goals in 18 minutes.
“I’m not going to lie, Jewell has been in my ear, [Skylar Diggins-Smith] has been in my ear and the coach have,” Ogwumike said. “It’s been a while since I’ve played with this much freedom and space and so I have to break myself free from this idea that I don’t have that type of flexibility on the floor.
“Tonight was one of those nights where I just let it go and let it flow and listened to my teammates.”
Note
- Second-year guard Jade Melbourne who suffered a concussion Monday and entered the league protocols was not with the Storm on Tuesday.
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