Game: Seattle Storm (1-6) at Chicago Sky (6-1) When: 5:00 p.m. Wednesday Where: Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Ill. Meeting: First TV: None
The Storm’s path to erasing its worst start in franchise history begins Wednesday night in the Windy City when it takes on the Chicago Sky.
After dropping six of its first seven games, Seattle will try to avoid buckling under the weight of its grueling five-game road trip when they face a team tied with the Connecticut Sun for the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Sue Bird, meanwhile, will attempt to recover from her worst performance of the season, a woeful 1-13 shooting exhibition Saturday night in a 67-80 loss to the San Antonio Silver Stars. A beacon of consistency throughout her career, Bird has struggled during her 11th season in Seattle. In seven starts, she is leading the team in scoring by averaging just 11 points a contest while shooting a paltry 33 percent from the floor.
Her shooting woes are just a microcosm of the team’s offensive troubles. Brian Agler’s squad is averaging under 66 points per game. As a team, Seattle is shooting below 37 percent.
It won’t get any easier for Seattle when it faces Chicago, either. Sky forward Epiphanny Prince leads the league in scoring with 25.3 points per game while Sylvia Fowles is posting 18 points and 15 rebounds a night in her fifth year out of LSU. Former Storm combo guard Swin Cash also has pitched in to help the Sky build a five-game winning streak by knocking in nearly 10 points a night.
Seattle Stats/Notes
- The Storm currently rank last in the league in points per game. The Washington Mystics, however, are a close second, dropping just under 70 points per contest.
- Seattle is already seven games behind the league-leading Minnesota Lynx in the Western Conference standings just seven games into the season.
- Wednesday night’s matchup is the fourth game in Seattle’s five-game road trip.
- Shekinna Stricklen had the most efficient night of her young career Saturday in San Antonio. She finished with 14 points on 6-13 shooting, collecting eight rebounds while knocking down a pair of threes.
- Ann Wauters, considered an early-season surprise after taking two summers off to raise her children in Belgium, hasn’t reached double figures since May 27 against the Minnesota Lynx.
Chicago Stats/Notes
- The Sky is currently the WNBA’s top rebounding team. Lead by Fowles, its pulling in 37.8 boards per game.
- The Sky’s only loss came against the Indiana Fever, a 72-83 defeat at home.
- Fowles has made 30 of 45 shots through her team’s first seven games.
Coaches: Brian Agler is in his fifth year with the Storm. Dana “Pokey” Chatman is in her third year with the Sky after spending the previous four years at LSU.
SEATTLE STORM 2012 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
| Date | Opponent | W/L | Score | Rec. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/18/12 | vs. Los Angeles | L | 66-72 | 0-1 |
| 5/22/12 | at Los Angeles | L | 74-61 | 0-2 |
| 5/27/12 | at Minnesota | L | 84-71 | 0-3 |
| 6/1/12 | vs. Tulsa | W | 76-58 | 1-3 |
| 6/3/12 | at Los Angeles | L | 65-67 | 1-4 |
| 6/6/12 | at Minnesota | L | 55-79 | 1-5 |
| 6/9/12 | at San Antonio | L | 67-80 | 1-6 |
| 6/13/12 | at Chicago | — | — | — |
| 6/15/12 | at Tulsa | — | — | — |
| 6/17/12 | vs. Minnesota | — | — | — |
| 6/22/12 | vs. San Antonio | — | — | — |
| 6/24/12 | vs. Washington | — | — | — |
| 6/26/12 | at Washington | — | — | — |
| 6/30/12 | at New York | — | — | — |
| 7/1/12 | at Connecticut | — | — | — |
| 7/7/12 | at Los Angeles | — | — | — |
| 7/8/12 | vs. Phoenix | — | — | — |
| 7/11/12 | vs. Atlanta | — | — | — |
| 7/13/12 | at Phoenix | — | — | — |
| 8/16/12 | vs. Phoenix | — | — | — |
| 8/18/12 | vs. Los Angeles | — | — | — |
| 8/21/12 | vs. Minnesota | — | — | — |
| 8/23/12 | vs. Indiana | — | — | — |
| 8/26/12 | vs. New York | — | — | — |
| 8/30/12 | vs. Phoenix | — | — | — |
| 9/6/12 | vs. Tulsa | — | — | — |
| 9/8/12 | at Tulsa | — | — | — |
| 9/11/12 | at Atlanta | — | — | — |
| 9/12/12 | at Indiana | — | — | — |
| 9/14/12 | at San Antonio | — | — | — |
| 9/16/12 | vs. Connecticut | — | — | — |
| 9/18/12 | vs. Chicago | — | — | — |
| 9/21/12 | vs. San Antonio | — | — | — |
| 9/23/12 | at Phoenix | — | — | — |