Sabrina Ionescu scored a season-high 28 points as the visiting New York Liberty pulled away in the third quarter and extended their season-opening winning streak to six games with a 85-63 victory over the Washington Mystics on Friday night.
New York (6-0) is off to its best start since winning the first seven of the WNBA’s inaugural season in 1997. The defending champions earned their fourth double-digit victory of the season by leading for the final 38:16 and ending the third quarter with a 19-5 spurt.
Ionescu made 9 of 16 shots and hit 4 of 11 3-point attempts as the Liberty shot 42.6 percent and hit 10 of 38 (26.3 percent) from 3-point range.
Jonquel Jones returned to add 14 points and 18 rebounds, helping New York to a 46-36 edge on the glass. Jones sat out the Liberty’s five-point win over the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday due to right hamstring discomfort.
New York’s Leonie Fiebich added 12 points and Rebekah Gardner contributed 11 off the bench to help offset a quiet night from Breanna Stewart. The star forward did not hit her first basket until late in the third quarter, and she finished with 10 points on 3-of-10 shooting. Stewart did produce seven of New York’s 23 assists.
Brittney Sykes scored 20 points to lead the Mystics (3-4), who lost for the third time in four games and took their most lopsided defeat this season. Rookies Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron added 12 points and 10 points, respectively, as Washington shot a dreadful 28.4 percent and committed 13 turnovers.
New York ended the first half with a 44-32 lead. Two free throws by Sykes pulled Washington within 47-43 with 6:56 to go, but on the next possession, Ionescu converted a three-point play to start a decisive 16-0 run.
Following Stewart’s first two baskets, Jones hit a 10-footer in the lane for a 60-43 lead with 2:24 left and a hook shot 30 seconds later for a 20-point advantage. The Mystics finally ended the run when Citron sank a trey with 38.6 seconds left, but New York took a 66-48 lead into the fourth.
Washington made a minor dent in the deficit a little over two minutes into the final period when it moved within 13. New York never let the Mystics get any closer.
–Field Level Media
