Liberty’s Impressive Win Led by Ionescu

UNCASVILLE, Connecticut – Sabrina Ionescu stepped up when the Liberty needed her most.

With the possibility of ending a four-game winning streak looming, Ionescu took charge right from the start of Sunday’s game.

She managed to score 16 of the team’s 36 points in the first quarter, helping secure an 87-78 victory and breaking out of a tough stretch.

The MVP chants grew louder, particularly from over 200 Liberty season ticket holders who had traveled to watch the game. They erupted as she approached the free throw line in the second half.

Ionescu shot 14 of 22 from the field, finishing just one point shy of her career high.

In addition, she achieved her first double-double of the season with 11 rebounds and recorded her 1,000th career assist in the second quarter. This notable assist was to Rebeka Gardner, who scored with a layup.

She became the third fastest player in WNBA history to reach this milestone, doing so in just 170 games.

Only Ticha Penicheiro (134 games) and Teresa Weatherspoon (159) reached 1,000 assists more quickly.

But, it’s worth mentioning Ionescu had some solid support.

The Liberty, dealing with injuries, saw Emma Meesman shine in her debut, although she was relatively quiet for most of the first half. She finished the game with 11 points, two rebounds, and three assists in her first WNBA appearance since 2022.

Jonquel Jones contributed significantly as well, adding 21 points and nine rebounds to the effort.

Overall, Sunday’s performance was a stark contrast to the previous game’s debacle.

In that previous match, New York had committed a season-high 23 turnovers and struggled under the physical play of Connecticut, resulting in a 16-point loss.

The Liberty (18-10) will soon have a chance to rebound again as they face the Brooklyn Wings on Tuesday, wrapping up a challenging schedule with six games in just 10 days.