Liberty beat Aces 90-82 in match-up of 2023 WNBA Finals teams

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jonquel Jones scored a career-high 34 points, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu each had a double-double and the New York Liberty pulled away in the second half to beat the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces 90-82 on Saturday.

Ionescu finished with 15 points and 12 assists and Stewart added 14 points and 12 rebounds for New York (12-2). Betnijah Laney-Hamilton had 12 points and seven rebounds.

Las Vegas (6-6) has lost four of its last five games.

Kelsey Plum hit a floater that gave the Aces a 53-47 lead with 6:33 left in the third quarter. They then went scoreless for nearly five minutes. New York responded with a 14-0 run, including six points from Jones, to take the lead for good. Kate Martin hit a 3-pointer to break the Las Vegas scoring drought with 1:47 left in the period and A’ja Wilson followed with a bucket in the lane that cut the deficit to 61-58 but the Aces got no closer.

Plum led Las Vegas with 22 points and Wilson finished with 21 points and nine rebounds. Alysha Clark added 13 points, Jackie Young had 10 points and six assists and Kiah Stokes grabbed 12 rebounds.

SUN 85, WINGS 67

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Rachel Banham scored 16 points to lead five Connecticut players in double figures and they cruised to a victory over Dallas.

Dijonai Carrington scored 14 points, Alyssa Thomas had 13 points, nine rebounds and nine assists and Brionna Jones scored 12 for Connecticut (12-1). Tyasha Harris added 10 points.

The Sun jumped to a 10-0 lead and never trailed. The Wings went nearly 4 1/2 minutes without a field goal to close the third quarter as the Sun stretched their lead to 22 points going into the fourth.

Teaira McCowan had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Maddy Siegrist also scored 16 for the Wings (3-9). Arike Ogunbowale finished with 11 points on 2-of-15 shooting.

Dallas made 1 of 16 (6.3%) from 3-point range.

The Wings, who have been without injured forward Satou Sabally all season and Natasha Howard for all but the opening game, have lost seven games in a row.