Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Mercury fall in preseason opener, crushed 85-59 by the Storm

Originally posted on Burn City Sports | By Alec Cipollini | Last updated 5/8/24

Jewell Loyd scored 18 points and Nneka Ogwumike added 15 as the Seattle Storm cruised to an 85-59 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday night.

Kiana Williams and former Mercury guard Skylar Diggins-Smith both netted nine for the Storm. After losing 84-79 to the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday, Seattle finished its preseason 1-1.

Diana Taurasi had 10 points and Kahleah Copper scored six for Phoenix. 2024 third-round draft pick Charisma Osborne totaled six points in her Mercury debut.

Seattle Stormed Over the Mercury

The Storm got off to a 12-4 run thanks to Loyd scoring a quick seven points in the first quarter.

Fighting back, Phoenix shrunk the deficit to just 14-11 before an 11-2 two stretch by Seattle late in the quarter, creating a 28-16 lead. Ogwumike and Diggins-Smith both ended the first with six points apiece while Taurasi had eight for Phoenix.

In the second quarter, Ogwumike continued to pile on the damage as the Storm expanded the score to 45-28. Ogwumike led all players with 13 points at the end of the first half.

Great ball movement by Phoenix ends with a Kahleah Copper bucket

SEA 45 – PHX 28 pic.twitter.com/vXJAQTQUKa

— WNBA (@WNBA) May 8, 2024

Not only were they down by a wide margin, but the Mercury couldn’t ignite a rhythm offensively as they went into halftime shooting 10-for-34 (29.4%) and going 3-for-14 (21.4%) from three. Free agent signing Natasha Cloud played 15 minutes and had zero points in the game.

From the second half onward, Seattle was shooting at will, outscoring Phoenix 19-9 to create a 27-point lead, 64-37 in the third. Since it was a preseason matchup, both teams would go to their benches so that each coaching staff could evaluate almost every player on their squads.

The Mercury slightly had an edge in the fourth frame by winning it 22-21, but they ended up losing 85-59 in their preseason opener.

The @seattlestorm defeat the Phoenix Mercury 85-59 to move to 1-1 on preseason play!@jewellloyd led the way with 18 PTS, 5 REB and @nnekaogwumike added 15 PTS on 75 FG% pic.twitter.com/potuMqd0kP

— WNBA (@WNBA) May 8, 2024