Sun get rare victory over Seattle...Storm

Sun get rare victory over Seattle...Storm

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By Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) - Connecticut Sun reserve forward Barbara Turner joked after the game that the Seattle Storm fans cheered so loudly for her during introductions before Monday night's game that they knocked out the KeyArena sound system.

The announcer got through the Sun reserves but no Sun starters or Storm players were introduced because the sound system went dead until shortly after tip-off.

"That welcome made me feel really, really happy and I couldn't stop smiling," said Turner, who played her rookie season for the Storm in 2006.

And how did she repay the warm welcome? She scored 13 points, including a key 3-pointer that gave Connecticut the lead with 1:15 remaining in the Sun's eventual 74-67 victory that snapped a 10-game Storm home winning streak.

The Sun's Asijha Jones scored 15 points and Lindsay Whalen also had 13.

Lauren Jackson led Seattle (7-6) with 26 points. Sue Bird had 13 points and five assists. The Storm had won their first six home games this season and a record-tying 10 in a row over the last two years.

The Sun led 57-50 early in the fourth quarter before the Storm rallied to go ahead 65-63 on a layin by Sheryl Swoopes with 2:20 left.

But Turner responded with a 3-pointer from the left corner just before the shot clock expired to give the Sun a 66-65 lead with 1:15 remaining.

"Our offensive play broke down," said Turner, who shot four-for-six on 3-point attempts. "Lindsay drove to the baseline and didnt really have a shot, so I just slid to the corner and she found me and I knocked the shot in."

Jackson answered with two free throws before Jones scored an inside basket to make it 68-67 with 42 seconds left.

After Jackson missed a 3-pointer, Whalen made two free throws to push the lead to 70-67 with 27.8 seconds left. Swoopes then missed a 3-pointer and Whalen hit two more free throws to make it 72-67. The Sun's Tamika Whitmore then tossed in two free throws to end the game.

The Sun (9-2) had a five-game winning streak snapped Friday at Los Angeles, losing 98-93 in overtime.

Seattle had hoped to keep its home winning streak going after losing two in a row on the road.

"You always want to defend your home court coming off a two-game losing streak," Bird said. "It was a chance to be back home in a comfort zone and to get back to playing well. I dont think we played bad. But its tough losing this one."

Turner made two 3-pointers in the third quarter to help the Sun lead 55-50 after three quarters. The Storm led 50-47 before Turner hit a 3, Jones converted a three-point play and Sandrine Gruda scored an inside basket.

The Storm led by as many as 11 points early in the second quarter. But the Sun used a 22-10 run to lead 37-36 at halftime.

Frustrated about an 11-2 deficit and four quick turnovers, Sun coach Mike Thibault benched his starters less than five minutes into the game.

"Were good enough to have the depth to be able to do that," Thibault said. "Our bench has been playing great most of the year. I thought they played really well and we got a spark from almost everybody."

The starters returned at the beginning of the second quarter and rallied from a 26-15 deficit.

NOTES: Seattle starting center Yolanda Griffith missed her second consecutive game because of injuries to her knee and ankle. Griffith might be ready to play on Friday against Indiana, coach Brian Agler said. Storm reserve forward Kelly Santos suited up, but did not play, just one day after she scored 10 points to help Brazil beat Cuba 72-67 in the FIBA Olympic Qualifier Tournament in Spain to earn the final berth for the Beijing Games. Santos played sparingly in five games for the Storm before she left.

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