SEATTLE – Chiney Ogwumike set a career-high with 30 points and Jasmine Thomas tied her career-best with 29 points but it was not enough as the Connecticut Sun fell to the Seattle Storm 103-92 on Friday night at KeyArena.
Down by as many as 16 points in the first half, the Sun (7-3) were able to get within two in the third quarter and trailed by seven with three minutes to play in the game. But the Storm (8-3) made five of six from the free throw line in the final minutes to close out the victory.
Ogumike’s previous career high was 26 points on July 20, 2016 at Dallas. She was 13-of-16 from the field. Her 13 made field goals were also a career-best. She became the 13th player in franchise history to score 30 or more in a game. Thomas, who also dished out six assists and blocked three shots, had her second 20-plus point game this season.
Playing without Alyssa Thomas, who injured her shoulder in the loss to Washington on Wednesday, the Sun trailed 30-21 at the end of the first. Ogwumike led the team with six points while Lexie Brown hit a deep three at the buzzer to cut the Storm lead to single digits.
Connecticut trailed by seven at the half, 52-45. Ogwumike added five more points in the quarter to lead the team with 11 at the end of the half. Betnijah Laney had seven points off the bench on 3-of-3 shooting for the Sun in the second quarter. Laney finished with a season-high nine points and four rebounds.
The Sun cut the lead to two with 4:18 left in the third, and trailed by just 80-74 at the start of the fourth quarter. Ogwumike had 13 points in the third.
Natasha Howard led Seattle with a career-high 25 points while Breanna Stewart added 23.
The Sun will be in action next on Saturday at Phoenix. Game time is set for 10 p.m. ET.