Connecticut survives late Seattle comeback behind balanced scoring and clutch late-game execution.
The Connecticut Sun earned their first win of the season over the Seattle Storm on Wednesday night in a back-and-forth battle.
Seattle opened the game with early momentum, jumping out to a 9-4 lead behind Natisha Hiedeman’s aggressive scoring. Connecticut quickly answered following a mid-quarter lineup shift, as Nell Angloma and Raegan Beers sparked the Sun on both ends of the floor. The Sun closed the opening quarter on a 25-14 run to take a 29-23 lead into the second.
The Storm responded in the second quarter behind Mackenzie Holmes, who dominated offensively in the paint and helped Seattle briefly reclaim the lead. Zia Cooke and Hiedeman added scoring stretches of their own, but Connecticut continued to answer each push with balanced scoring and strong rebounding. The Sun entered halftime leading 46-41 after a late three-pointer from Kennedy Burke.
Connecticut maintained a narrow advantage throughout the third quarter despite Seattle continuing to pressure defensively and capitalize on turnovers. Charlisse Leger-Walker provided a major offensive spark during the period, while Angloma continued to make an impact defensively with multiple steals and key rebounds. The Sun carried a 63-59 lead into the final quarter.
The fourth quarter featured several lead changes as the Storm mounted a late comeback. Seattle took a 78-75 lead in the final minute after free throws from Holmes, but the Sun answered immediately. Aaliyah Edwards cut the deficit to one before Burke converted a late layup through contact with three seconds remaining to give Connecticut the lead for good.
Leger-Walker led the Sun with 16 points, while Angloma and Burke each finished with 15. Beers added 10 points and eight rebounds, while Edwards contributed 12 points in the win.
Seattle was led by Hiedeman’s game-high 20 points, while Holmes added 18 points on 75% shooting. Despite the Storm shooting 88% from the free-throw line, Connecticut’s rebounding advantage and balanced offensive production helped secure the two-point victory.