Kayla McBride and her Minnesota Lynx teammates had momentum on their side during the first few minutes of Friday night’s road matchup with the Seattle Storm.

After that, though, they never really regained it.

Nneka Ogwumike finished with 26 points and seven rebounds to lead her team as Seattle pulled in front of the Lynx by as much as 18 in the first half and never looked back, winning 91-63 at Climate Pledge Arena.

McBride finished with 27 to lead Minnesota (16-7) on a night when the Lynx finished 19 for 62 (30.6 percent) from the field and just 7 for 30 (23.3 percent) from 3-point range.

Minnesota was playing without star Napheesa Collier for the third straight game as she continues to deal with plantar fasciitis in her left foot.

The Storm’s Jewell Loyd had the game’s first basket, but the Lynx then scored the next nine points to jump on top 9-2.

Following a timeout, though, the Storm (15-8) – playing the eighth game of a WNBA-record nine-game homestand – embarked on a 15-5 run, taking a 17-14 lead on a three-pointer from Ogwumike with 2:49 to play.

Minnesota managed to tie the score three times before a three-pointer by Sami Whitcomb put Seattle in front 25-22 at the quarter break. The Storm scored eight points off the fast break in the first quarter.

Whitcomb’s three-pointer was actually the start of a 16-0 Storm run that gave Seattle a 38-22 lead with 5:20 to go before halftime. Minnesota didn’t score its first second-quarter points until a layup by Diamond Miller with 4:58 remaining.

Led by five points from McBride, the Lynx did mount a 7-0 run late in the first half that cut the gap to 11, but a jump shot by Ezi Magbegor put Seattle in front 50-37 at the half.

Minnesota finished the first half just 13 for 37 (35.1 percent) from the field and were outrebounded 22-12. The Storm finished 19 for 34 (55.9 percent), led by 19 points from Ogwumike. McBride finished with 16 to lead the Lynx.

McBride scored 11 points in the third quarter, but her team still trailed 72-56 entering the fourth. Whitcomb then hit three straight three-pointers as Seattle closed the door for good.

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