SEATTLE (AP) — Tina Charles scored 27 points, becoming the fourth player in WNBA history to top 7,000 in a career, and the Seattle Storm beat the Atlanta Dream 82-72 on Sunday.
Charles, who signed with Seattle (18-10) on June 28, sank 9 of 13 shots — including 4 of 7 from 3-point range. She added 15 rebounds for her second straight double-double. Charles, with 7,013 points, trails only Diana Taurasi (9,651, active), Tina Thompson (7,488) and Tamika Catchings (7,380) on the all-time list.
Charles had 20 points and 10 rebounds in the first half to help Seattle pull away from a 19-19 first-quarter tie for a 41-34 lead at intermission. Charles sank 7 of 8 shots, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range, in the half.
Rhyne Howard — the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft — led Atlanta (12-16) with 23 points, but she made only 9 of 30 shots, including 4 of 14 from distance. Cheyenne Parker and Tiffany Hayes scored 12 apiece. Naz Hillmon added nine points and 14 rebounds.
League scoring leader Brianna Stewart scored 11 of her 23 points in the third quarter and Epiphanny Prince buried a 3-pointer in the final minute as Seattle took a 63-53 lead into the final period and stayed in front. Stewart added 10 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals.