TULSA, Okla. — Seattle guard Tanisha Wright scored a season-high 24 points, but it wasn’t enough as the Tulsa Shock rallied to beat the Storm 85-79 Sunday in WNBA action.
With the loss, Seattle (5-8) closed out its four-game road trip with a 2-2 record.
Tulsa out-rebounded Seattle 36-23, which Storm point guard Sun Bird said was the difference in the game.
“They really hit the offensive rebounds hard,” said Bird, who scored 12 points. “For the most part, we were able to guard their initial offense. We would (force) them (to) take a tough shot, but then we let them get second and third opportunities. It’s what got them the lead in the first half and ultimately what won them the game.”
Seattle led 72-65 with 6:40 to play in the fourth quarter, but Tulsa rallied behind Skylar Diggins, Courtney Paris and Glory Johnson. Diggins finished with 26 points, and Paris (16 points, 12 rebounds) and Johnson (12 points, 13 rebounds) each posted a double-double.
The Shock have won a franchise-record four straight games.
“After five years, starting as an expansion team, we’re just trying to secure that home-court advantage,” said Tulsa coach Fred Williams, whose team completed a 4-0 homestand with Sunday’s win. “That was one of our goals at the start of the year. If you can secure those tight games at home, it will put you in a good position at the end of the season.”
Shekinna Stricklen scored 11 points for Seattle. Former Shock guard Temeka Johnson came off the bench to score nine points for Seattle. The Storm ended the game with a season-high 21 assists. Johnson collected six assists and Camille Little added a season-high four.
“We just didn’t do a good job down the stretch,” said Wright, who has scored in double figures in four straight games and finished one point shy of her career high. “We need to start finishing and winning basketball games.”
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