INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jonquel Jones had 26 points and 12 rebounds and Sabrina Ionescu added 23 points, including the winning free throws with 2.9 seconds left, to lead the New York Liberty over the Indiana Fever 90-88 on Saturday.
Caitlin Clark, who ended a stretch of 12 missed 3-pointers with a four-point play followed by a 33-foot buzzer-beater to end the third quarter, had the ball stripped away by Natasha Cloud on the final play of the game. She finished with 18 points, 10 assists and 10 turnovers, shooting 2 for 11 from 3.
Breanna Stewart and Cloud had 16 points each for the Liberty (3-0).
Aliyah Boston led Indiana (2-2) with 27 points and 13 rebounds. Lexie Hull, starting in place of DeWanna Bonner, and Kelsey Mitchell added 15 points each.
Clark’s turnovers were scattered between precise feeds to the rim to her teammates, including Boston, who bounced back from a four-point performance in a win over the Atlanta Dream on Thursday.
The Fever had an 80-68 lead with less than nine minutes remaining in the game. It was an impressive midgame run for the newly formed Fever against the reigning WNBA champs, having stormed back from down 14 early in the second quarter.
But the Liberty’s experience showed up when it mattered. Jones, Stewart and Ionescu brought them quickly back into the game. They went on a 14-2 run for an 84-82 lead after Jones drained consecutive 3-pointers.
DREAM 83, WINGS 75
COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) — Alisha Gray scored 27 points and Brionna Jones recorded a double-double and Atlanta took control just before halftime and went on to beat Dallas.
Brittney Griner scored 15 points, Jones scored 11 points and grabbed 15 rebounds and Rhyne Howard distrbuted 10 assists for Atlanta (2-2). The Dream distributed 23 assists on 29-made baskets as they shot 42.6% (68 attempts).
NaLyssa Smith scored 13 points, reserve Maddy Siegrist scored 12, Paige Bueckers 11 and reserves Tyasha Harris and Teaira McCowan 10 apiece for Dallas (0-4).
The Wings starters shot just 13 for 47 (27.6%). Dallas overall shot 30 for 82 (36.6%).
Siegrist gave Dallas its last lead at 26-24 with 4:31 left before halftime. Griner tied it 13 seconds later with a layup, Gray made two foul shots and that started a 13-4 Atlanta run to close the half with a 37-30 lead.
The Associated Press
