Sabrina Ionescu scored 30 points, leading the short-handed New York Liberty to an 82-74 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday night. This matchup marked the final game for both teams before a month-long Olympic break.
Entering the fourth quarter tied, Ionescu ignited the Liberty with a three-pointer, restoring New York’s lead from the start of the game. This sparked a 10-3 run, putting the Liberty ahead 73-66 midway through the final period. Despite Connecticut’s attempts to close the gap, Jonquel Jones consistently responded with key baskets against her former team, preventing the Sun from narrowing the score further.
Brionna Jones topped the Sun’s scoring with 17 points, while Alyssa Thomas contributed 16 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, though she did not play in the fourth quarter.
New York was without two starters: guard Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, who underwent minor knee surgery on Tuesday and is expected to miss four to six weeks, and Breanna Stewart, who rested due to a tweaked hamstring. Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello noted that Stewart would have played in a playoff situation but the team opted to be cautious with the Olympics on the horizon.
The Liberty jumped to an early 11-2 lead and concluded the first quarter ahead 28-23, with Ionescu scoring 12 points in the opening frame, including a four-point play. The Sun fought back, entering halftime trailing by just three, at 45-42.
