Breanna Stewart, Liberty handle Wings to inch closer to clinching top WNBA playoff spot

ARLINGTON, Texas — Breanna Stewart scored 27 points, Sabrina Ionescu had 14 points and 11 of New York’s season-high 33 assists, and the Liberty cruised by the Dallas Wings 105-91 on Tuesday night.

New York (30-6) became the second team in WNBA history, joining the 2023 Las Vegas Aces, to reach 30 wins in its first 36 games of a season.

The Liberty hold a three-game lead over second-place Minnesota (27-9), which plays at New York on Sunday.

New York shot 55% from the field, including 16 of 29 from 3-point range.

Ionescu made four 3-pointers and Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Leonie Fiebich each added three.

Stewart made all three of her 3-pointers in the first quarter to give her 15 points in the frame, while Dallas had just 18 points.

Fiebich sank New York’s eighth 3-pointer — on just 13 attempts — with 8:17 left in the second quarter for a 36-22 lead.

Dallas, meanwhile, was 8 of 20 overall.

The Liberty ended the half with a 58-43 lead behind 19 points from Stewart.

Dallas cut its deficit to 72-64 with 5:14 left in the third but New York closed on a 15-5 run, with six points from Fiebich, to regain control at 87-69.

New York led by double figures the entire fourth quarter.

Jones scored 19 points and Fiebich added 16 off the bench for New York.

Betnijah Laney-Hamilton had 10 points.

Arike Ogunbowale scored 23 points and Natasha Howard added 21 for Dallas (9-27).

Teaira McCowan had 11 points and Maddy Siegrist scored 10 for her first double-digit game since June 17.

The teams play each other again on Thursday.