Breanna Stewart shines in return to Seattle as Liberty sink Storm with Sue Bird courtside | CBC Sports

Breanna Stewart had 25 points and 11 rebounds in her return to the Pacific Northwest and the New York Liberty beat the Seattle Storm 86-78 on Tuesday night.

It was Stewart’s first game in Seattle since going to the Liberty as a free agent during the off-season. The former MVP helped Seattle win two titles with Sue Bird, who sat courtside for the return.

Stewart took over in the third quarter with 10 points and six rebounds to help New York extend a narrow halftime lead to 68-56 entering the fourth. She finished 8 of 14 from the field and 8 of 9 at the stripe.

Seattle got within single digits early in the fourth before Sabrina Ionescu sank a deep 3-pointer to make it 72-61. Stewart’s fast-break layup, off a nice pass from Courtney Vandersloot, gave New York an 86-74 lead.

Ionescu finished with 20 points for New York (3-1), which has won three straight games. Stefanie Dolson scored 10 points and Vandersloot had a season-high 11 assists. Jonquel Jones scored nine points in 18 minutes.

Jewell Loyd led Seattle (0-3) with 26 points and Ezi Magbegor had 12 points and 14 rebounds.

Kia Nurse, of Hamilton, Ont., made Seattle’s first 3-pointer of the game with 4:15 left in the third quarter to get within 57-53, but New York made 3-pointers on its next two possessions and Stewart followed with a three-point play for a 13-point lead.

Jones’ key block helps Sun hold off Fever

Tiffany Hayes scored 22 points, Brionna Jones had 19 points and 11 rebounds and the Connecticut Sun held off the Indiana Fever 81-78 on Tuesday night.

Rookie Aliyah Boston made her first career 3-pointer to pull Indiana within 79-76 with 48.1 seconds left. After a timeout, DeWanna Bonner missed a contested layup and Indiana raced the other way, but Jones blocked a shot at the rim. Indiana retained possession and Boston made a putback to make it 79-78.

Hayes was fouled with 9.4 seconds left and made two free throws for a three-point lead. Indiana found Lexie Hull open in the corner for a potential tying shot but her 3-pointer came up short.

Alyssa Thomas added 13 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists and Natisha Hiedeman scored 11 for Connecticut (4-1). Bonner, who started the second half after accidentally getting hit in the face before halftime, finished with eight points and five assists.

Hayes scored a season-high 18 points, on 7-of-9 shooting, to help Connecticut build a 38-34 halftime lead. The Sun led 22-14 after the first quarter but only scored two points in the opening six minutes of the second to trail 26-24.

Boston finished with 20 points and Kelsey Mitchell added 19 points for Indiana (1-3). NaLyssa Smith had 14 points and 15 rebounds. The Fever ended a WNBA record-tying 20-game losing streak with a victory in their last game.

Wings top Lynx behind 3 20-point scorers

Natasha Howard scored 25 points, Satou Sabally had 23 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals and the Dallas Wings beat the Minnesota Lynx 94-89 on Tuesday night.

Dallas guard Arike Ogunbowale hustled to deny a fast-break layup and Veronica Burton made 1 of 2 free throws at the other end for a 90-84 lead with 32.8 left. Ogunbowale added two free throws at 19.1 left for a six-point lead.

Ogunbowale finished with 21 points for Dallas (3-1). Kalani Brown, who signed a contract earlier on Tuesday, scored 12 points and Burton had a season-high nine assists. Crystal Dangerfield scored all nine of her points in the fourth quarter and Sabally recorded her seventh career double-double.

Kayla McBride, who missed the past two games due to personal reasons, scored 18 points for Minnesota (0-5), which has lost its first five games for the first time since 2007. Napheesa Collier and Tiffany Mitchell each added 17 points to conclude a three-game road swing. Jessica Shepard made her first six shots and finished with 15 points.

McBride passed Lauren Jackson for 19th on the WNBA all-time 3-pointers list.

Howard leads Dream past Sky

Rhyne Howard scored 20 points, Allisha Gray and rookie Haley Jones each added 13 and the Atlanta Dream eased past the Chicago Sky 83-65 on Tuesday night.

The Dream led 40-25 at halftime after Chicago shot just 28 with 15 turnovers.

Dana Evans scored 11 points to lead Chicago (3-2). Kahleah Copper, Marina Mabrey and Kristine Anigwe each added 10. Sky starters Courtney Williams was 2 of 10 from the field and Elizabeth Williams went 3 for 10.

Atlanta continues its five-game homestand against reigning WNBA champion Las Vegas on Friday.