WASHINGTON – Sue Bird scored 25 points Tuesday, and Ann Wauters added 14 as the Seattle Storm completed a home-and-home sweep of the Washington Mystics with a 79-71 win for its fifth straight victory.
The Storm (6-7) never trailed and held a 30-17 advantage at the free throw line in the opener of a four-game road swing. Seattle continues racing up the Western Conference standings after opening the season by losing seven of its first eight games.
Crystal Langhorne led the Mystics (2-9) with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Seattle made only five 3-point field goals in the game, but three came after Washington had rallied to tie the score at 36 in the third. Wauters’ shot from beyond the arc put the Storm ahead 45-42 and sparked an 11-2 run.
The Storm’s lead didn’t dip below five points in the fourth quarter. Bird ended any hopes of a Mystics comeback with consecutive jump shots for a 70-62 lead.
Earlier in the day, Seattle waived forward Victoria Dunlap. Drafted in the first round by the Mystics last year, Dunlap was sent to Seattle in a trade during the offseason. She averaged 2.6 points in five games this year.
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