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Shock-Storm Preview

Jul 14, 2009 - 6:05 PM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Detroit (3-7) at Seattle (8-5), 10:00 p.m. EDT

The Seattle Storm seek to bounce back from their first loss at KeyArena in more then a year Wednesday, when they close out a four-game homestand against a Detroit Shock club coming off its first road win of the season.

Seattle (8-5) had won 15 in a row at home, including five straight this season, before falling 86-81 to Chicago on Sunday. The Storm hadn't lost at KeyArena during the regular season since June 16, 2008, when they fell 74-67 to Connecticut.

Lauren Jackson and Tanisha Wright each scored 18 points in Sunday's loss, but Jackson shot an airball on a 3-pointer in the final seconds that would have tied the game at 84. Sue Bird also missed a shot with 15 seconds remaining.

"We had an opportunity right up until the end and we didn't make the most of it," Jackson said. "It's frustrating. Everyone's heads are down because we wanted to win. Everyone really tried hard. Tanisha had a gallant effort. The things she did were amazing.

"If we all could have stepped up and had the intensity and focus, I think we would have won that game."

The Storm had allowed opponents to average only 65.2 points during their 15 straight home wins, and were giving up 61.4 per game at KeyArena this season prior Sunday's defeat. Chicago shot 60.8 percent from the field, including a 12-of-19 effort from 3-point range.

"I think the whole time we were always trying to catch up to get stops," Wright said. "We did some different things defensively, and they just hit shots. Maybe sometimes we broke down and sometimes they were hitting them right there with us."

Seattle will try to bounce back against the struggling Shock (3-7), who recorded their first road victory of the season Saturday, 79-77 in overtime over Connecticut to salvage a split of a home-and-home series.

Detroit had lost the opener of the by three points six days earlier. On Saturday, Katie Smith hit a jumper with 6.3 seconds remaining before Connecticut missed a potential game-tying shot at the buzzer. Smith finished with 25 points while Kara Braxton added 14 and 13 rebounds for the Shock.

Detroit was charged with four technical fouls, including three in the fourth quarter and one on coach Rick Mahorn.

"When you see the coaches care that much and you know they've got your back, you want to do your part," Smith said.

Anna DeForge, whom Detroit signed as a free agent Friday, scored two points and added eight assists in 38 minutes in her return to the Shock. The guard, who began her WNBA career with Detroit in 2000, averaged 8.5 points and 3.0 rebounds last season with Minnesota.

Detroit and Seattle split their two-game season series in 2008, with the Storm winning 75-67 at home. Jackson and Smith each averaged 25.5 points in last season's meetings.