Storm Fan? You Need to See What Happened After That 51-All Tie

Seattle, our Storm took another tough one on the chin up in Toronto Saturday, falling 93-72 to the Tempo. It hurts to say, but this wasn't pretty. Natisha Hiedeman dropped 18 points, and Jordan Horston had a season-high 15, but even that couldn't stop the bleeding as Toronto pulled away hard after we had a brief glimmer of hope. We bleed green and blue here in the Emerald City, and losses like this hit hard, especially when the other team is setting records.

The Wheels Came Off, Fast

Remember that feeling when Katie Lou Samuelson hit that short turn-around jumper to tie the game at 51-all? It was 3:50 left in the third quarter, and it felt like we were finally going to take control. But then, oof. The very next three possessions? Turnovers. Just like that. The Tempo smelled blood and unleashed a devastating 19-5 run over the next three-plus minutes. We went from a tie game to a massive deficit in the blink of an eye. Our shooting from deep wasn't helping either. We bricked 20 of 27 from three-point range, finishing at a chilly 26%. And guess what? This isn't a new problem. The Storm are 3-0 this season when we hit 38% or better from behind the arc, but a brutal 0-6 when we shoot 37% or worse. That trend *has* to change if we want to turn this 3-5 record around. We only got to the free-throw line eight times, making seven of them. It's tough to win when the other team is living at the stripe. Dominique Malonga missed her sixth straight game due to concussion protocol, and we need her back out there when she's ready.

Toronto Showed Us How It's Done

Credit where credit is due, the Toronto Tempo were lights out, especially from the charity stripe. They set a WNBA record by making their first 31 free throws. Yeah, you read that right. Teonni Key eventually missed a couple with under a minute left, but they still finished an insane 31 of 33, good for 94%. That's just clinical. Marina Mabrey led their charge with 18 points, and rookie Kiki Rice was huge in the second half, scoring 13 of her 17 points and grabbing a season-high four steals. Brittney Sykes, who played for us last season, also poured in 15 points against her former team, which stings a little. Rookie Laura Juskaite dropped 14, including a career-high four 3-pointers, and Maria Conde hit double figures for her second straight game with 13 points. They clearly came ready to play, and it showed. This marks the second time Toronto has beaten us this season, including their first franchise win on May 13 (86-73). So, what now? The Storm have got to regroup fast. We're heading to Dallas to play the Wings on Monday. This early season stretch is crucial, and we need to flip this 3-point shooting narrative. Let's get aggressive, get to the line, and tighten up those turnovers, Emerald City. We know our Storm can bounce back, and we'll be watching every minute, screaming our heads off. Let's go!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.