Liberty beat Sky 81-67, Reese’s double-double streak ends
CHICAGO (AP) — Sabrina Ionescu scored 28 points for New York and the Liberty snapped Angel Reese’s WNBA-record double-double streak at 15 games as they beat the Chicago Sky 81-67 on Saturday.
Jonquel Jones added 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for New York, which has won three games in row, including a 91-76 win over the Sky on Thursday. Leonie Fiebich tied her career high (set in the win over Chicago last time out) with 13-points and Ivana Dojkic added 12.
Reese, a front-runner for WNBA rookie of the year, finished with eight points and 16 rebounds for the Sky. Marina Mabrey finished with 21 points, a career-high 12 rebounds and seven assists, and Michaela Onyenwere scored a season-high 14.
New York shot just 29% (6 of 21) and allowed the Sky to grab nine offensive rebounds while Mabrey scored 11 points in the first quarter to give Chicago a seven-point lead but the Liberty outscored the Sky 29-13 — including nine points by Dojkic — in the second quarter.
Dana Evans hit a 3-pointer that gave Chicago a 34-29 lead with 4:59 remaining in the first half but the Sky went 0 for 5 from the field and committed five turnovers from there as New York closed the second quarter on a 14-0 run to take the lead for good and make it 43-34 at halftime.
SPARKS 87, WINGS 81
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Dearica Hamby scored 27 points, rookie Rickea Jackson added a career-high 23 points and Los Angeles beat Dallas in a battle between the WNBA’s cellar dwellers.
Azurá Stevens finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and three blocks while shooting 6 of 10 from the field, 4 of 4 from 3-point range, for the Sparks. Aari McDonald added 12 points.
Stevens hit a 3-pointer to make it 72-all with 5:49 to play and spark an 11-1 run that gave the Sparks an 80-73 lead when Hamby’s capped the spurt with 3:49 left. Arike Ogunbowale hit two free throws to trim Dallas’ deficit to 80-77 with 2:28 remaining but Hamby answered with a layup, Aari McDonald followed with a par of foul shots and the Wings got no closer.
Odyssey Sims led Dallas with 23 points. She has scored in double-figures in seven of eight games, including each of the last six, since she signed with the team on June 25. Natasha Howard scored 14 points, Kalani Brown 13 and Teaira McCowan 10. Ogunbowale score 12 points but was just 2-of-14 shooting and committed five turnovers.
Los Angeles won for just the second time in its last 12 games. The Sparks have four wins (two wins each against the Wings and the Las Vegas Aces) since May 28.
Dallas has won just twice since May 26.