Liberty survive feverish fourth-quarter comeback to beat Fever, 95-87, in overtime
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Sabrina Ionescu scored eight of her 34 points in overtime and the Liberty clinched a berth in the Commissioner’s Cup championship with a 95-87 win over the Indiana Fever on Wednesday, despite blowing an 18-point fourth-quarter lead.
Aliyah Boston hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer at the end of regulation for Indiana, which had a chance to win its last two home games on last-second three-point attempts. It was the rookie’s second three of the season.
That tied the game at 80 but the veteran Liberty pulled away in overtime as Ionescu hit two of her seven three-pointers and the young Fever missed its last four shots.
Breanna Stewart had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Liberty (14-4), who play at Western Conference winner and defending champion Las Vegas for the Commissioner’s Cup on Aug. 15. Courtney Vandersloot had 12 assists, the last going to Betnijah Laney for a three-pointer that broke an 85-85 tie with 1:52 left in overtime.
Vandersloot’s layup with 7:27 left in regulation had the Liberty up 74-56 but their next field goal was Ionescu’s three to open overtime. The Fever reeled off 16-straight points and Erica Wheeler had a three-point play with 12.9 seconds to go and Boston’s three completed the comeback.
Boston had 23 points for the Fever (5-15), who have lost eight-straight. Emma Cannon had a career-high 19 on 7-of-9 shooting, Kelsey Mitchell added 16 and Grace Berger also had a career high with 15.
The Fever had a different starting lineup for the first time this season with leading rebounder NaLyssa Smith and Lexie Hull injured. Smith will miss two weeks with a stress fracture in her left foot and Hull has a broken nose.
