Highlights
Preview
WNBA: Storm at Sky ROSEMONT, Ill. (Interstat) — The Seattle Storm visit the Chicago Sky on Wednesday in a matchup of two of the WNBA’s bottom-tier teams. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Allstate Arena. Seattle (6-19) enters the game in 11th place in the league standings, while Chicago (7-16) sits directly ahead in 10th. Both clubs have lost their most recent outings. The Storm fell 84-79 at Washington on Sunday. The Sky dropped a 96-91 decision at Dallas on Sunday. Guard Natisha Hiedeman has emerged as Seattle’s primary offensive weapon. Over her past six games, the 5-foot-8 guard has scored at least 13 points in each contest, averaging 20.3 points during that stretch. She posted a season-high 31 points on 11-of-19 shooting in the loss to Washington, adding three rebounds and three assists. In the Storm’s 82-64 win at Los Angeles on July 6, Hiedeman contributed 15 points, six rebounds and four assists in 25 minutes. For Chicago, forward Azura Stevens has been a consistent double-double threat. The 6-foot-6 forward recorded 18 points and 13 rebounds in the loss at Dallas. She has grabbed at least eight rebounds in four of her past five games. Stevens posted 24 points and six rebounds against Las Vegas on June 28, and she logged 11 points and 10 rebounds in a 77-66 win at Phoenix on July 7. Seattle’s recent results have been mixed, though the Storm have won three of their past six contests after dropping four straight earlier this month. Seattle’s victory over Los Angeles snapped a four-game skid. The Storm also beat Atlanta 105-90 on June 27 and New York 99-88 on June 25. Chicago has struggled for consistency, winning two of its past seven games. The Sky’s two victories in that span came on the road (Interstat) — a 124-94 rout of Portland on June 26 and a 101-78 win over Portland on June 24. The Sky have dropped four of their past five contests. The teams’ next 10-game schedules differ markedly. Seattle embarks on a three-game series at home against Minnesota beginning July 20, then hosts Indiana for three straight starting July 26. Chicago returns home after Wednesday’s game to face Los Angeles on Friday, then travels to Atlanta and New York next week. Interstat’s game simulator projects a narrow Chicago victory, 95-94. Wednesday’s game marks the first of two meetings between the teams this season. The Sky visit Seattle on Aug. 10.

