Breanna Stewart has quite a performance to follow up when she leads the New York Liberty into Saturday afternoon’s contest against the visiting Connecticut Sun.
Stewart set a career high and a franchise record when she scored 45 points on Sunday as the Liberty rolled to a 90-73 victory over the visiting Indiana Fever.
It was a resounding turnaround for Stewart, who had just 12 points in her Liberty debut in an 80-64 loss to the Washington Mystics on May 19. She made 15 of 21 shots — including 6 of 9 from 3-point range — against the Fever while breaking the club mark of 40 points, set by Cappie Pondexter in 2010.
“I didn’t know I broke any record. I looked up at the scoreboard at one time and had 37,” Stewart said afterward. “I was like ‘I didn’t know what just happened.’ I wanted to be more aggressive after last game … set the tone and be confident.”
Stewart joined the Liberty (1-1) after playing six seasons for the Seattle Storm. She won two WNBA titles in Seattle, was league MVP in 2018 and was a four-time All-Star.
Earlier this week, Stewart said she often forgets she switched teams.
“The transition has been interesting,” Stewart said. “I’m still struggling with which team I’m on when people ask me at the airport. I almost tell them Seattle even though I’m New York.”
Connecticut (3-0) is coming off a home-and-home sweep of the Washington Mystics. The Sun won 80-74 at home on Sunday and 88-81 at Washington on Tuesday.
In the latter game, Alyssa Thomas had 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead the charge. DeWanna Bonner added 15 points.
New Connecticut coach Stephanie White is pleased with the team’s unbeaten start.
“This team is tough,” White said. “They understand how to make winning plays, whether that’s on the defensive end, making a big stop, getting a critical rebound, getting a big score, finding ways to win ballgames.
“I thought they responded really well when Washington came out and knocked us in the mouth early. We were able to play a number of different combinations on the floor, still not as many as I’d like to but as a staff, we’re figuring that out.”
–Field Level Media
