Storm earn statement win against two-time defending champ Aces

SEATTLE – The Storm won’t get extra victories for beating a good team, but Noelle Quinn knows the importance of Friday’s 78-65 win against the two-time defending WNBA champion Las Vegas.

“We’re realistic,” Quinn said. “We understand what this league is and who we’re playing, but for this team who is new and getting a chance to learn each other, we’ll take progress. We’re getting better every single day. We are very well aware that these games are measuring sticks.

“Coming into Vegas, we understand it’s a tough environment, but also it will indicate where we are. We know that we aren’t where we want to be quite yet, but we’re trending in the right direction. Going up against the defending champs will show us a lot and tell us a lot about ourselves.”

The Storm (7-3), who beat their first team with a winning record, won their sixth straight game and snapped a seven-losing streak to the Aces (5-3).

Seattle also improved to 2-0 in the Commissioner’s Cup standings while Las Vegas fell to 1-1.

Not surprisingly, the Storm’s ‘Core Four’ led the way.

Jewell Loyd had 25 points and nine rebounds while Skylar Diggins-Smith added 21 points and seven assists. Ezi Magbegor (14 points and 15 rebounds) and Nneka Ogwumike (12 points and 11 rebounds) had a double-double performance.

With 3:47 left in the first quarter, Ogwumike drilled an open three-pointer to cap a 9-0 run that put the Storm up 15-7. Las Vegas answered with a 9-2 spurt to finish the quarter and Seattle led 17-16 after the opening period.

Kelsey Plum, the former Washington Huskies star, dropped three to give Las Vegas a 22-19 lead when the Storm seized control of the game and outscored the Aces 17-6 the rest of the second quarter for a 36-28 halftime lead.

It was a phenomenal defensive performance for the Storm, who held the Aces to a season-low tying points in the first half and limited WNBA scoring leader A’ja Wilson to just six points.

However, Wilson came alive in the third quarter while connecting on 5 of 8 shots and scoring 15 of Las Vegas’ 23 points in the period.

Wilson’s offensive outburst allowed the Aces to claim momentum and shrink the Storm’s 46-32 lead midway in the third to 54-51 at the end of the quarter.

Seattle outscored Las Vegas 24-14 I the fourth quarter.

Wilson finished with 29 points and 11 rebounds and Plum had 18 points.

The Storm finish their two-game road trip 4 p.m. Sunday against the Minnesota Lynx.