Breanna Stewart scored 28 points and grabbed eight rebounds as the host New York Liberty defeated the Seattle Storm 92-86 on Wednesday night.
The Liberty (19-13) also got strong performances from Jonquel Jones (14 points, a game-high 15 rebounds), Sabrina Ionescu (13 of her 15 points in the second half and six assists) and Rebecca Allen (12 points).
Allen, who entered the game averaging just 3.4 points, made 4 of 6 shots, including both 3-point attempts.
New York has won six of its past seven games.
Seattle (6-27) was led by Dominique Malonga, who had 31 points and 10 rebounds. Jade Melbourne added 13 points and seven assists, and Awa Fam scored 13 points off the bench.
The Storm have lost 10 straight games — one short of the franchise-long 11-game skid Seattle had earlier this season. The Storm have the worst overall record in the WNBA and also the worst road record (2-16).
Storm rookie Flau’jae Johnson, who scored 25 points against New York on Monday, was held to 11 this time.
Seattle’s Katie Lou Samuelson sustained a right knee injury in the third quarter and did not return.
The Liberty were again without Satou Sabally (concussion protocol) and Leonie Fiebich (left foot).
Out of 32 games, Fiebich has played just 14 games, all of them starts. Sabally has played 13 games, including five starts.
New York put together a 12-0 first-quarter run and led 27-16 at the end of the period, in large part behind Allen’s 10 points.
The Liberty, who led by as many as 15 points in the first quarter, cooled off in the second as Seattle had an 8-0 run and cut its deficit to 34-29 with 4:57 left in the half. At halftime, New York led 47-43.
Seattle tied the score at 50 with 7:22 left in the third. But the Liberty responded with a 12-2 run, including eight points by Ionescu. By the end of the quarter, New York led 69-65.
New York held on in the fourth thanks to clutch free-throw shooting (5 of 5).
For the game, New York had a 16-6 edge in fastbreak points. The Liberty also made 19 of 21 free throws to just 7 of 11 for Seattle.
–Field Level Media
