GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• With tonight’s win, Seattle’s record stands at 18-6 with a three-game lead over Phoenix (15-9) for first place in the WNBA standings.
• Storm veteran Sue Bird played in her 499th-career game today, tying DeLisha Milton-Jones (499) for the most games played in WNBA history. She is set to break the record Sunday, July 22 in Atlanta.
• Jewell Loyd poured in a season-high 31 points on 11-for-15 shooting, setting a season-high for field goals made (11). She also had five rebounds and tied a season-high with four steals. She just missed her career-high of 33 points, achieved on Aug. 27, 2017 vs. Phoenix.
• Seattle collected its first win in Connecticut since the 2013 season and earned the franchise’s fourth all-time single-season sweep against Connecticut (2002 [Orlando], 2003, 2013).
• With the win, the Storm collected its 18^th win of the regular season, there by guaranteeing a winning season for the first time since 2011 when the team finished 21-13 overall.

KEY STATS OF THE GAME

• The Storm closed the contest with a 24-12 run en route to pulling away for the 13-point win. Jewell Loyd scored 13 of the team’s final 24 points, outscoring the Sun in the final 8:16 by herself.
• Seattle erupted for 23 points in the third frame to take a 52-48 lead into the final quarter, outscoring the Sun 23-15.

STORM HIGHLIGHTS

• Guard Sue Bird poured in 17 points on 7-for-13 shooting, including 3-for-4 from deep. She also handed out five assists, giving her 159 on the season.
• Coming off of a 20-point effort in Chicago two days ago, Jewell Loyd posted 20-plus points for the second-straight game, passing the 20-point mark for the ninth time in 2018 and booking her first 30-point game of the season.
• Tonight’s 31-point performance by Jewell Loyd marked her fourth 30-plus point game of her career.
• Despite scoring her first bucket (a three-pointer) with 3:32 to play in the second quarter, Breanna Stewart, the league’s leading scorer who came into the game averaging 22.9 PPG, finished with 10 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
• Storm rookie Jordin Canada connected on a season-high-tying one three-pointer and finished with five points off the bench.
• Seattle improved to 16-2 with the starting lineup of Sue Bird, Jewell Loyd, Breanna Stewart, Alysha Clark and Natasha Howard.
• With her 830^th-career three-pointer at the 3:03 mark of the third quarter, Sue Bird broke her tie with Becky Hammon (829) for third all-time in WNBA history for three-pointers made. She finished the game with three treys and now has 832 for her career.
• The Storm’s 10 first-quarter points were a season low (previously 11 vs. Atlanta, 6/10/18). The team shot a collective 5-for-18 (27.8%) in the first frame before posting 19 points in the second quarter to cut the Sun deficit to just 33-29 at the break. The team’s 29 points at the break were also a season low (previously 31 vs. Atlanta 6/10/8).