Breanna Stewart scored 20 of her 31 factors within the first half, serving to the New York Liberty spoil Caitlin Clark’s dwelling debut with a 102-66 rout of the Indiana Fever on Thursday in Indianapolis.
Stewart added 10 rebounds, 4 assists, three steals and two blocks to avenge her lackluster efficiency within the season opener. The 2-time WNBA MVP scored simply eight factors on 3-of-9 capturing from the ground in New York’s 85-80 victory over the host Washington Mystics on Tuesday.
Jonquel Jones recorded 14 factors and 10 rebounds for New York on Thursday, and Sabrina Ionescu had 14 and 7, respectively. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton contributed 12 factors for the Liberty (2-0), who outscored the Fever 35-10 within the fourth quarter and held a 40-26 benefit in rebounds for the sport.
Clark, the No. 1 general draft decide after a record-breaking faculty profession, scored 9 factors on 2-of-8 capturing from the ground — together with 1-of-7 from 3-point vary. She contributed seven rebounds and 6 assists to go together with simply three turnovers, versus the ten she dedicated in Indiana’s 92-71 loss to the host Connecticut Solar on Tuesday.
Aliyah Boston recorded 12 factors and 7 rebounds and Katie Lou Samuelson added 10 factors for the Fever (0-2).
Lexie Hull drained a 3-pointer to trim New York’s result in 29-25 halfway into the second quarter, earlier than Stewart ignited the Liberty’s 19-6 run to finish the half. She totaled 9 factors throughout that sequence, whereas Laney-Hamilton added six.
New York prolonged its result in 23 factors at 67-44 on Nyara Sabally’s basket with 4:06 remaining within the third quarter. Indiana answered with a 12-0 run to finish the quarter, highlighted by 4 free throws and a 3-pointer by Clark.
Jones made a pair of baskets, Stewart transformed a three-point play and Ionescu made a 3-pointer and a layup because the Liberty rode a 12-0 begin to the fourth quarter. The result was not doubtful the remainder of the way in which.
Tempers flared late within the first quarter after a foul by Jones on Boston beneath the basket. Boston responded with a shove and phrases have been exchanged earlier than the gamers have been separated.
–Area Degree Media/Reuters
