Seattle Storm stifle star rookie Paige Bueckers, sail to win over Wings

When you tally 44 points and tie a 28-year-old WNBA rookie scoring record in the previous outing, you move to the top of the scouting report.

The Storm made it a priority to slow down Paige Bueckers and held the Dallas Wings star to 11 points while using a staunch defensive effort to run away with a 95-60 victory in front of 6,063 at College Park Center on Friday night.

“Having scored 44 the other night, it was in a variety of different ways, and for us to be able to contain that, we have to be physical,” coach Noelle Quinn said before the game. “We have to stay down on a lot of head fakes and a lot of footwork. We have to be really sharp in that area. You can’t give her a steady diet of the same thing because she’s a very cerebral player.

“It’s going to take a not only the primary defender on her, but our second and third layers of defense to really be locked into the actions that she receives, whether it’s ball screens, pin downs or (dribble handoffs), we have to really be locked into our coverages and be on the string and very communicative.”

Veteran guard Brittney Sykes was the primary defender on Bueckers, but she received plenty of help from Skylar Diggins, Gabby Williams and Erica Wheeler.

And speaking of Wheeler, the backup guard scored 17 points paired with rookie center Dominique Malonga, who had a game-high 22, to carry the Storm offensively.

It was the first time two reserves led Seattle in scoring.

Every player for the Storm as they outscored the Wings 62-28 in bench points.

Most of Seattle’s starters watched the fourth quarter from the sidelines after taking control early and putting the game away in the third quarter.

The Storm missed their first shots and fell behind 5-0 before scoring 11 unanswered points and never looking back.

Seattle took a 48-34 lead into halftime and outscored Dallas 19-11in the third quarter to go up 67-45.

Once the Storm started rolling offensively, the Wings were unable to slow them down. Seattle shot 56.3 percent from the field while Dallas was 29.9 percent.

The Storm enjoyed a 24-7 disparity in fast break points and outscored the Wings 48-28 in the paint.

Maddy Siegrist scored a team-high for Dallas (9-28), which has lost four straight and is 1-9 in the last 10 games.

The wounded Wings were missing Arike Ogunbowale (knee), Ty Harris (knee), JJ Quinerly (knee) and former Storm center Li Yueru (knee).

Since losing six straight, the Storm (19-18) have won three of the past four games and are 2-0 on their road trip that continues to Washington on Sunday.