After back-to-back stellar performances from Lauren Jackson at home, the Seattle Storm hope she can build on that momentum when they go on the road - where they haven't played nearly as well this season.
Jackson and Seattle visit the last-place Sacramento Monarchs on Tuesday, looking to win just their second road game this season.
The Storm (11-7) are 10-1 in Seattle and took advantage of their recent three-game homestand to pull within a game of first place in the Western Conference. They had little trouble over those three games, winning by margins of 15, 13 and 25 points.
Seattle is coming off its biggest victory this season, 96-71 over Minnesota on Saturday. Jackson scored a season-high 34 points and the Storm shot a season-best 57.5 percent from the field.
"I'm just going out there and doing my thing," said Jackson, who scored 33 points in a win over New York two days earlier and is third in the league with 20.5 points per game.
Jackson scored 16 of her points in the first quarter Saturday, and finished 15-of-22 from the field despite sitting out the final 12 minutes when the game was already in hand. Minnesota led 15-2 early on, but Seattle tied the game at the end of the first quarter and never trailed again. The Storm finished with a franchise-record 26 assists, 11 by Sue Bird.
Seattle is hoping it can build off its highest-scoring game of the season after struggling offensively most of the year. The Storm average 72.8 points - fourth-lowest in the WNBA - but most of their offensive trouble has been on the road, where they are averaging just 68.6 points.
Seattle won its first road game of the season, but has dropped six straight since. The Storm play five of their next seven away from home.
They begin this road heavy stretch, which lasts through the end of July, against a Sacramento team that is in last place in the West. The Monarchs (8-10) have lost two straight and four of their last six, including Saturday's 73-65 defeat to Houston.
Nicole Powell led Sacramento with 18 points and Lauren Harper added 11. Kara Lawson, who is third on the team in scoring with 10.9 points per game, missed her second straight game with a sore left shoulder. She is listed as day-to-day.
"She's a great player," Powell said. "She bring a lot to our team, so of course we miss her a lot."
Although Sacramento is in last place in the West, it's just four games behind first-place San Antonio. Tuesday begins a four-game homestand for the Monarchs, who are 5-3 at Arco Arena.
Sacramento is 18-10 all-time against Seattle, including a 12-2 mark at home. The Storm snapped a four-game losing streak in the series with a 74-62 win in May.
