UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Sabrina Ionescu had sufficient.
If the Liberty have been going to finish their four-game shedding streak — the staff's longest since 2022 — she knew it was on her to do one thing.
So from the beginning of Sunday's recreation at Connecticut, Ionescu went nuclear.
She scored 16 of her 36 factors within the first quarter to assist carry the Liberty to a 87-78 win and out of this godforsaken funk.
The M-V-P chants — maybe led by the greater than 200 Liberty season-ticket holders whom the staff bussed up for the sport — began to interrupt out for Ionescu as she stepped to the free throw line within the second half.
Ionescu shot 14-for-22 from the sphere and completed only one level shy of matching her profession excessive.
She additionally registered her first double-double of the season, including 11 rebounds.
She additionally registered her 1,000th profession help within the second quarter — certainly one of her 4 within the recreation — when she fed a chopping Rebekah Gardner for a layup.
Ionescu is the third quickest WNBA participant to succeed in the profession milestone, doing so in 170 video games.
Solely Ticha Penicheiro (134 video games) and Teresa Weatherspoon (159) have eclipsed 1,000 assists faster.
Ionescu had some assist, in fact.
New York, which is riddled with accidents, obtained a carry from Emma Meesseman in her Liberty debut.
The Belgium star, who spent many of the first half settling in, completed with a modest 11 factors, two rebounds and three assists in her first WNBA recreation since 2022.
Jonquel Jones added 21 factors and 9 rebounds.
Sunday was a much better exhibiting for the Liberty than the monstrosity that unfolded Friday.
New York dedicated a season-high 23 turnovers and have been overwhelmed by the pesky Solar's physicality as five-win Connecticut bested the defending champions by 16 factors.
The travel-weary Liberty (18-10) will cap off this brutal stretch of the schedule, once they're taking part in six video games in 10 days, Tuesday towards the Wings in Brooklyn.
