SEATTLE (AP) — Brianna Stewart had 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists, Courtney Vandersloot added 18 points and 12 assists, and the New York Liberty beat the Seattle Storm 81-66 on Sunday.
Vandersloot had her fifth double-double, and her seventh game with at least 10 assists, of the season. Sabrina Ionescu scored 13 points and Petya Lani scored ten points for New York (11-4).
Stewart stepped up the jumpers mid-range and then assisted on a three-pointer by Ionescu that made it 7-0 and Liberty never trailed. Marin Yohannes scored 3 to close the first quarter and another to open the second that extended the lead to 15 points and Ionescu made a 3-pointer about 2 1/2 minutes into the second period giving New York their biggest lead of the game. at 49-27.
Jewell Lloyd, who led the league in scoring at 25.7 points per game (Stewart tied for second-place Ariki Ogunboal at 22.1), led Seattle (4-11) with 27 points. Uzzi Magpegor added 12 points and Sammy Whitcombe and Kia Norse added 10 points each.
New York finished with a season-high 16 steals—including five by Stewart and four by Vandersloot—and 29 assists recorded on 33 field goals.
The Storm have lost three straight games and five of their last six.
New York responded to a 98-81 loss at FIBA World Championship-leading Las Vegas Aces on Thursday to win for the fifth time in six games.
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