Stewart scores 38 points in 3 quarters, Liberty top Lynx 111-76. Vandersloot reaches 4,000 points
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Breanna Stewart scored 38 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Courtney Vandersloot reached 4,000 points for her career and the New York Liberty coasted to a 111-76 win over the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday night.
Despite not playing in the fourth quarter, Stewart became the sixth WNBA player to score at least 35 points four times in a season. Seattle’s Jewell Loyd also has four this season, the only time two players accomplished the feat in the same season. Stewart scored the most points by a player playing less than 27 minutes, the previous best was Seattle’s Lauren Jackson with 36 points in a 2006 game.
Sabrina Ionescu scored 19 points for the Liberty (27-7), hitting three 3-pointers to move into second on the single season WNBA list with 114. Diana Taurasi had 121 for Phoenix in 2006 and Kelsey Plum had 113 last season for Las Vegas. Vandersloot and Betnijah Laney both had 15 points.
Vandersloot joined Sue Bird as the only players with 4,000 points, 2,500 assists and 1,000 rebounds.
New York reached triple figures for the sixth time this season, reaching its season high by going 12 of 27 from 3-point range, shooting 55% overall (41 of 74) and making all 17 of its free throws. The Liberty finished five points short of matching the franchise record.
Diamond Miller scored 18 points for the Lynx (17-18) and Aerial Powers had 15.
New York made 9 of 14 from 3-point range, shot 62.5% overall and led 76-46 at the half — with Stewart coming close to outscoring the Lynx by herself. Stewart was 5 of 6 behind the arc, 9 of 11 overall and had 27 points in the first half.
Stewart finished 12 of 17, making 6 of 8 3s and all eight free throws. With two blocks she had her fourth career game of 35-10-2, two more than any other player.
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