UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Sabrina Ionescu scored 24 points, Jonquel Jones added 22 and the New York Liberty handed the Connecticut Sun their first loss of the season 82-75 on Saturday.
New York fell behind by five early in the fourth quarter but tied it on a layup by Betnijah Laney-Hamilton and a 3-pointer by Jones. Later in the quarter, Ionescu made her first field goal since the first quarter, giving New York a two-point lead, and Breanna Stewart hit a 3-pointer to make it 69-64 with 5 1/2 minutes to go.
With 93 seconds left, Tyasha Harris hit a 3-pointer to get the Sun within 76-75. Jones answered with a 3, and Ionescu scored in the paint to give the Liberty an 81-75 lead with 43 seconds left.
Stewart finished with 13 points and Laney-Hamilton had 10 for New York. Laney-Hamilton had six assists and Ionescu, Jones and Stewart had five each as the Liberty had 27 assists on 31 made shots.
Six Connecticut players scored in double figures, led by DeWanna Bonner with 16 points. Brionna Jones scored 13, DiJonai Carrington 12, Tiffany Mitchell 12 and Tyasha Harris 11. Alyssa Thomas had 10 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.
The six double-figure scorers accounted for all but one of Connecticut’s points and six players combined to score all of New York’s points.
DREAM 89, SKY 80
CHICAGO (AP) — Tina Charles scored 22 points, Cheyenne Parker-Tyus added 18 and Atlanta beat Chicago.
Allisha Gray scored 14 points for Atlanta (5-4) and Aerial Powers 11. Rhyne Howard finished with 10 points, 10 assists and six rebounds.
Diamond DeShields hit a pull-up jumper to make it 4-2 a minute into the game but Chicago missed six consecutive shots and committed three turnovers as the Dream ripped off a 15-2 run — capped when Gray made back-to-back 3-pointers — before Angel Reese made a layup that cut the Sky’s deficit to 17-8 almost five minutes later.
Atlanta (5-4) hit 12 of 22 from the field in the first quarter and led 29-15 going into the second.
Reese finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds and five steals. The 6-foot-3 rookie had her third consecutive double-double and her fourth of the season for Chicago (4-6). Kamilla Cardoso and Dana Evans also scored 13 points apiece and Marina Mabrey added 12.
The Associated Press
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