Sky eliminate Storm from playoff contention

[August 28, 2023]  Elizabeth Williams had 23 points and Kahleah Copper scored 18, highlighted by a go-ahead 3-pointer with just over 2 minutes to play, as the visiting Chicago Sky overcame a 14-point deficit to win 90-85 over the Seattle Storm on Sunday. 

Chicago trailed 85-81 when Courtney Williams hit a pullup jumper. Then a wide-open Copper sank a 3 with 2:16 remaining to put the visitors ahead.

Elizabeth Williams made two free throws, and Copper and Courtney Williams each sank one as the Sky (14-21) scored the game's final nine points to beat the Storm for the second time in six days.

Marina Mabrey scored 16 points for Chicago, Dana Evans had 14 points and six assists off the bench and Courtney Williams finished with 10 points and six assists.

Seattle's Jewell Loyd scored 19 points, but only two in the second half. Sami Whitcomb also scored 19 and Ezi Magbegor had 15 points and 14 rebounds for the Storm (10-25), who went scoreless the final 3:37 to lose their third straight and be eliminated from playoff contention.

Loyd made a bucket to give Seattle a 40-33 lead in the second quarter, but three Mabrey 3-pointers highlighted an 11-0 run that put Chicago ahead by four with less than four minutes remaining in the opening half.

The Sky led 46-42, but Loyd scored seven points, including a 3 before the first-half buzzer, as the Storm scored the final 13 of the second quarter to lead 55-46 at the break.

Magbegor opened the second half with a bucket for Seattle, which scored six of the first eight points of the third to pad its advantage. The Storm eventually led 64-50 with 7:16 left in the period. However, the Sky fought back with a 14-2 spurt to make it a 66-64 game with 2:26 left in third.

Whitcomb, though, knocked down a 3 and Loyd followed with a pair of free throws as Seattle scored seven straight to push its advantage to nine. It led 75-68 entering the fourth.

After Magbegor scored the first basket of the final period, a Mabrey 3 and Copper three-point play highlighted a 7-0 run that got the Sky within 77-75.

However, Whitcomb answered with a triple at the 7:20 mark of the fourth before Chicago completed its comeback.

--Field Level Media

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