Lexie Brown hits 5 3-pointers and scores 17 as the Storm beat the Sun 89-82

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Lexie Brown hit five 3-pointers and scored 17 points, Flau’jae Johnson had 16 and the Seattle Storm beat the Connecticut Sun 89-82 on Sunday.

Jade Melbourne had 15 points and six assists off the bench and Natisha Hiedeman finished with 11 points for the Storm (1-1). Dominique Malonga was limited to 20 foul-plagued minutes and finished with seven rebounds, six points, three blocks and two steals.

Kennedy Burke made a 3-pointer that cut Connecticut’s deficit to 80-79 with 3:38 left in the game, but Brown answered with a driving layup to spark an 8-1 run that made it 88-80 with 54 seconds remaining.

Aneesah Morrow had 17 points and a career-high 16 rebounds for the Sun (0-2). Brittney Griner added 16 points and Diamond Miller added 13. Kennedy Burke had 12 points, six rebounds, five assists and two blocks.

Hailey Van Lith had nine points and four assists in 20 minutes off the bench. Van Lith, picked No. 11 overall by Chicago in the 2025 WNBA draft, was waived by the Sky on Monday and signed with Connecticut two days later.

Brown made four 3-pointers in a span of 1:37 to cap a 13-0 run that gave the Storm a 63-54 lead with 3:20 remaining in the third quarter.

The Storm hit 10 3s, had 10 steals and outscored Connecticut 25-16 from the free throw line.