Stewart scores franchise-record 45 points as Liberty hand Fever WNBA record-tying 20th straight loss | CBC Sports

Breanna Stewart scored a franchise-record 45 points and New York beat Indiana 90-73 on Sunday, handing the visiting Fever a 20th consecutive loss that matched the WNBA record for futility.

The Fever equalled the Tulsa Shock, who lost 20 straight games in 2011. Indiana lost 18 consecutive games to close out last season before falling to the Connecticut Sun on Friday in their opener. Indiana plays at Atlanta next Sunday.

New York rebuilt its team this off-season adding Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Courtney Vandersloot to a strong young core led by Ionescu and Betnijah Laney. There are high expectations surrounding the Liberty this season, although it will take some time for the team to build chemistry.

The new trio got New York going early as they scored the first four baskets. Jones hit a layup, Stewart two 3-pointers and a reverse layup by Vandersloot as the Liberty were quick out of the gate.

By the time the first quarter ended, Stewart had 19 points — five more than Indiana — and New York led 36-14. She made six of her seven shots in the period, including four 3-pointers.

Stewart finished the half with 29 points, short of the league record 35 held by Riquna Williams.

New York led 62-35 at the break and never looked back.

Stewart broke that record on a three-point play with 2:13 left in the third quarter to put New York up 82-52. She finished the game going 15-of-21 from the field, including hitting six 3-pointers. She was also 9-for-9 from the foul line and had 12 rebounds.

Despite the lopsided loss, there is optimism around the Fever with the addition of No. 1 pick Aliyah Boston, who scored 15 points.

“I’d say there is nothing but positivity around here right now,” said Fever second-year forward NaLyssa Smith, who had 16 points and 12 rebounds. “Everyone is excited for our future.”

Sun rally past Mystics

DeWanna Bonner scored 21 points, Alyssa Thomas had 14 points, 16 rebounds, six assists and three steals to help the Connecticut Sun rally from a 12-point deficit to beat the visiting Washington Mystics 80-74 Sunday.

Brionna Jones added 15 points and 10 rebounds for Connecticut (2-0).

Shakira Austin scored a career-high 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Elena Delle Donne had 19 points and also had 11 boards for the Mystics (1-1).

Connecticut never again trailed.

Delle Donne, a two-time WNBA MVP, missed a clean look in the paint that would’ve made it a one-possession game with 37 seconds left and then fouled out about 10 seconds later.

The teams play again in Washington on Tuesday.

Stefanie White — who last coached in the WNBA with Indiana from 2015-16 and helped the Fever to back-to-back playoff berths including a trip to the 2015 WNBA Finals — replaced Curt Miller, now with the Los Angeles Sparks, as Connecticut’s coach in November. Meanwhile, four-time All-Star and 2021 WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones forced a trade in the off-season from the Sun to the New York Liberty after helping club to back-to-back Finals appearances and three straight trips to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Kelly Broomfield limped off the court with an apparent ankle injury in the third quarter and did not return, leaving just two officials the rest of the game.

White challenged a foul called on Olivia Nelson-Ododa early in the fourth quarter and won, but the foul was instead assessed to Jones, her fourth personal. Jones, who picked up her third foul with 5:32 left in the first half, fouled out — for the second time this season — with 17 seconds left.