The telecast on CBS had a familiar ring as Oregon track, football and basketball star Jordan Kent did the play-by-play, but it didn't help Sabrina Ionescu and the New York Liberty.
They slogged through a woeful second half, falling 79-70 at home to the Storm after trailing by as many as 19.
Cold shooting and turnovers doomed them in the third quarter as they were outscored 22-6, falling behind 63-50 to to Seattle.
In the first half Oregon great Ionescu paced them to a 44-41 lead with 20 points, 5-8 from three-point range. In the third, she didn't make a shot and her teammates made just three.
OHH BABY SABRINA IONESCU CAN'T BE STOPPED RIGHT NOW!
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 6, 2025
4-PT play with a side of celebration from SAB 🥳
NYL-SEA | Live on CBS pic.twitter.com/8CIOGtYEfe
Seattle took a 48-46 lead with 8:03 to go in the third quarter. On their end the Liberty tried an ill-advised crosscourt pass, stolen away by Nneka Ogwumike. Gabby Williams buried a three from 26 feet.
They built the lead to four when Ezi Magbegor sunk two free throws, then Ionescu missed a three and a floater on one possession.
When Skylar Diggins drained another three for the Storm, the defending champions trailed by eight. The run continued as Ogwumike went up strong over two defenders for a layup.
Sabrina broke the string with a nifty, no-look pass on a 3-on-1 break, a layup for Natasha Cloud. Cloud cut it to six with a midrange jumper.
In the fourth the defending champs continued to falter as Seattle rookie center Dominique Malonga hit 5-5 inside, the Storm raging to a 19-point lead with 7:33 to play. Missed layups and sloppy transitions plagued the Liberty.
Ionescu got knocked to the floor twice, no call. She made another assist, this time for a three by Leonie Fiebich. Nyara Sabally's put back cut the lead to 14.
Something is off with the Liberty, whether it's chemistry, fatigue, or just a slump. They've lost six of their last 10. Star forward Breanna Stewart struggled with the physical Storm defense, 4-17 from the floor.
They closed with a late rally in garbage time, but the 11-7 visitors were more accurate, more cohesive in transition and got better shots.
Despite the second-half shooting drought Ionescu led all scorers with 22 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Sabally contributed an active stint off the bench, collecting six rebounds, a block and six points.