Jewell Loyd scored a game-high 26 points Sunday as the Seattle Storm opened up a 44-19 first-half lead, then held off a third-quarter run by the Indiana Fever to notch an 85-62 win in Indianapolis.

Loyd added eight assists for Seattle (6-19), which won its second straight game behind an impressive shooting display. The Storm canned 53.4 percent of their field-goal attempts, including 12 of 24 from the 3-point line, to make up for 18 turnovers.

Jordan Horston came off the bench to tally 15 points and Gabby Williams contributed 14 for Seattle, which outscored Indiana 30-13 in bench points and converted 18 turnovers into 21 points. The Storm racked up 23 assists on 31 made field goals.

Kelsey Mitchell scored 19 points for Indiana (6-19) and rookie Aliyah Boston added 14 but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Fever from losing their third straight game. They have dropped 12 of their last 13 games.

Indiana shot poorly, sinking only 37.9 percent of its field goal attempts, and aside from a third-quarter run where it got within six, was dominated in a matchup of the WNBA’s two worst teams.

Seattle controlled the first half behind outstanding 3-point shooting. The Storm went 5-of-8 from the arc in the first quarter, including three by Sami Whitcomb. The last one capped an early 11-0 run that helped the visitors grab a 24-17 first-quarter lead.

The margin only increased in the second quarter as the Storm went up by 20 on Mercedes Russell’s jumper with 3:54 remaining. Seattle pushed the advantage to 25 at one point before settling for a 47-27 cushion at halftime.

Indiana made a move in the third quarter, closing within 57-51 with 1:08 left when Mitchell drained a 3-pointer. But Loyd blunted the Fever’s momentum in the last minute by converting a three-point play and then making two free throws that helped Seattle take a 62-51 advantage to the fourth period.

–Field Level Media