WNBA Game Recap: Liberty 87, Sun 84
Led by Breanna Stewart's 27 points and 9 rebounds, the Liberty defeated the Sun in Game 4, 87-84. Jonquel Jones (25 points, 15 rebounds, 4 blocks) and Betnijah Laney (21 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists) combined for 46 points in the victory. Alyssa Thomas tallied 17 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists, her 3rd career playoff triple-double, for the Sun in the losing effort. The Liberty win the best-of-five Semifinals series, 3-1, and advance to face the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA Finals (Sunday, October 8 (3:00 PM ET, ABC).
Video Transcript
- Sabrina Ionescu and the New York Liberty looking to close out the Connecticut Sun, who gets some good news. They get Rebecca Allen back from a non-COVID related illness. And she's immediately paying dividends driving in and hitting the mid-range jumper. Then in transition, Alyssa Thomas drops it off for Allen, who knocks down the 3. And Connecticut up by 5 in the early going 19 to 14. Off an inbounds pass, it's Alyssa Thomas. Passing back to Tiffany Hayes. And Tiffany Hayes little space for a 3 pointer. Connecticut up by double figures. It's a 10 point lead. 33 to 23.
The MVP answering for New York. Breanna Stewart, tiptoeing behind the line. Watch her create the space and knock down the 3. Here's another look. And this cuts into that Connecticut lead at this point. And seconds remaining in the half. Jonquel Jones gets the rejection on Dewanna Bonner. We go the other way. Betnijah Laney throws a deep pass to Sabrina Ionescu, who beats the buzzer for a layup. And New York takes the lead at the half.
Tight game. We get you to the third quarter. Courtney Vandersloot finds Stewart inside for the layup. Then Betnijah Laney tees up a 3 and hits it. How about these 21 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists on the game. New York, starting to open up a bit of a lead. Then it's Courtney Vandersloot finding Ionescu, who hits a deep 3. Nine points, seven assists, five rebounds for Ionescu. It's a 9 point advantage for New York.
In the fourth, Ionescu misses the layup. Alyssa Thomas and Jonquel Jones get tied up underneath the basket. Watch the replay. Just a tough spill here for Thomas, who has played all but two minutes in this series. New York up by 8. And Connecticut can ill afford to lose Thomas. Dijonai Carrington replaces Thomas though. Dumps a pass off to Tiffany Hayes for the layup. Hayes and Carrington combined for 24 points off the bench. We got a 2 point game. Thomas returns. How about this kick and the pass out to Bonner for 3. Connecticut less than four minutes to go. They're up by 1.
Courtney Vandersloot passes back to Stewart. And Stewart knocking down the go ahead 3 with just over two minutes remaining. Stewart 27 points, 9 rebounds on the game. And it's Stewart hitting the free throw to put New York up by 3. Connecticut without a time out after the free throw. So the Sun race down. And Tiffany Hayes mistakenly dribbles into the lane when they needed a 3. They get no shot off here. And New York gets the win. The liberty advanced to the WNBA Finals for the first time in 21 years. It's New York and it's Vegas for the WNBA Championship.
