NEW YORK — Breanna Stewart scored 19 points, Jonquel Jones finished with her third straight double-double and the New York Liberty upped their win streak to eight with a 79-71 victory over the Dallas Wings on Thursday night.
Stewart made just 5 of 18 shots from the floor for New York (25-4), missing all three of her 3-pointers, but she made 9 of 11 free throws and added seven rebounds, six assists and three steals. Jones totaled 13 points and 13 rebounds as the Liberty picked up their second win over Dallas (6-22) in three days.
Leonie Fiebich and Kayla Thornton both scored 16 for New York.
Arike Ogunbowale had 19 points, eight assists and six rebounds to pace the Wings, who have lost three in a row and six of their last seven. Natasha Howard had 16 points, eight rebounds and half of Dallas’ 14 turnovers before fouling out. Teaira McCowan scored 13 of her 14 points in the second half and added eight boards. Satou Sabally pitched in with 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Stewart scored six points in the first four minutes to help New York jump out to a 9-3 lead. Dallas battled back for a 17-14 advantage after one quarter on Ogunbowale’s 3-pointer with two seconds left.
Kennedy Burke scored the first two baskets in the second as the Liberty regained the lead and Stewart hit the second of two free throws to make it 28-19 with 4:21 left before halftime. Ogunbowale had a layup and a three-point play and Sabally hit a jumper to cap a 7-2 spurt in the final 1:53 to get the Wings within 35-32 at intermission.
Dallas tied the score at 44 apiece at the 4:31 mark of the third and got within one, 50-49, in the final minute of the quarter but New York answered with Fiebich’s 3-pointer with 17 seconds remaining to take a 53-49 advantage into the final period.
Ogunbowale had a three-point play with 6:47 to play to put Dallas ahead 56-55. New York responded with layups from Jones and Stewart, allowing the Liberty to regain the lead, 59-56. The Stars would twice more cut the deficit to a point, but a late 9-2 run by the Liberty wrapped up the victory.
New York’s Sabrina Ionescu (neck) and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (knee) missed both games against the Wings with injuries.
UP NEXT
New York: The Liberty host the Connecticut Sun on Saturday.
Dallas: The Wings host the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday.
The New York Liberty continued their impressive winning streak on Tuesday night, defeating the Dallas Wings 91-80 behind stellar performances from Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones. The victory marked the team’s eighth consecutive win, solidifying their position as one of the top contenders in the WNBA.
Stewart, who was recently named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, put on a show for the home crowd at Barclays Center. The 6-foot-4 forward scored a game-high 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. She also added 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks in a dominant all-around performance.
Jones, the reigning WNBA MVP, also had a standout game for the Liberty. The 6-foot-6 center recorded a double-double with 22 points and 14 rebounds, while also contributing 3 assists and 2 blocks. Jones’ presence in the paint was crucial for New York, as she controlled the boards and protected the rim on the defensive end.
The Liberty got off to a hot start in the first quarter, outscoring the Wings 28-17 behind strong performances from Stewart and Jones. Dallas fought back in the second quarter, cutting the lead to single digits, but New York responded with a strong third quarter to pull away for good.
The Wings were led by Arike Ogunbowale, who scored 25 points on 9-of-20 shooting. Satou Sabally added 18 points and 8 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the balanced attack of the Liberty.
With the win, New York improved to 12-4 on the season and maintained their hold on second place in the Eastern Conference standings. The Liberty have now won eight straight games, their longest winning streak since 2015, and are looking like serious contenders for a deep playoff run.
The combination of Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones has been a major factor in New York’s success this season. Stewart, a two-time WNBA champion and four-time All-Star, has seamlessly integrated into the Liberty’s system since being acquired in a trade with Seattle in the offseason. Jones, meanwhile, has continued to dominate on both ends of the floor and is making a strong case for a second consecutive MVP award.
As the Liberty continue to roll through their schedule, fans can expect more standout performances from Stewart, Jones, and the rest of the team. With their potent offense and stifling defense, New York looks poised to make some noise in the playoffs and potentially compete for a championship.