BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) - Natasha Howard scored 19 points and Breanna Stewart added 18 to help the Seattle Storm beat the Minnesota Lynx 103-88 on Sunday.
With one week left in the season, the Storm (16-3) have the best record in the league - a 1 1/2 games in front of Las Vegas. The two teams will meet to close out the regular season next Sunday.
Jewell Loyd scored 16 points and Alysha Clark 15 and Ezi Magbegor 12 for the Storm. Sue Bird distributed seven assists against a single turnover.
Seattle took control with a 15-4 run to start the second quarter and never relinquished it.
Damiris Dantas hit a 3-pointer to bring Minnesota (13-6) within 26-24 to start the second. Shortly thereafter, Epiphanny Prince, who recovered the ball from going into the backcourt, with the shot clock about to expire, buried a 40-footer to ignite the run. The Storm later scored a season-high 31 points in the third.
Dantas led the Lynx with 22 points, Odyssey Sims 14, Crystal Dangerfield 13 and Napheesa Collier 10.
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