Liberty Rally over Phoenix
Published on August 1, 2026 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
New York Liberty News Release
PHOENIX - The New York Liberty (17-13) erased a 10-point third-quarter deficit to earn a 94-92 road win over the Phoenix Mercury (11-19).
Sabrina Ionescu led New York with 27 points while shooting 40 percent (4-for-10) from beyond the arc and adding a season-high 10 assists with seven rebounds. Ionescu became the third player in WNBA history to make 500 3-pointers within the first 200 games of her career and recorded her 41st career game with at least 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists, passing Diana Taurasi for the fifth-most such games in WNBA history. She also put up her 53rd career game of at least 15 points, five rebounds and five assists, the most by any player all-time through their first seven seasons, and passed Taurasi for the 10th-most career points/assists double-doubles all-time with her 15th. This was Ionescu's fourth career game with 25 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds, and no other player in WNBA history has done so more than twice.
Han Xu led the Liberty's reserves with a season-high 17 points on 66.7 percent (6-for-9) shooting from the field, including 50 percent (3-for-6) shooting from deep as she tied her career high for 3-pointers made in a single game and reached 500 career points in the WNBA. Han is the third player this season and one of two reserves in franchise history to record at least 17 points, six rebounds and two 3-pointers while shooting over 60 percent from the field off the bench in a single game. She led all scorers with nine points in the second quarter and has connected on seven 3-pointers in her last three games, her most made threes in any three-game span during her WNBA career. This marked Han's highest-scoring game since July 6, 2022, and she also matched her season high with six rebounds.
Breanna Stewart posted a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds while blocking two shots to become the Liberty's all-time franchise blocks leader with 196. Stewart recorded her 10th double-double of the season and is one of eight players with at least 10 double-doubles so far in 2026. She blocked a shot for the eighth consecutive game while recording at least one steal or block for the 25th consecutive game, the longest active streak in the WNBA this season. Stewart also reached 6,600 points in her 321st career game, becoming the fastest player in WNBA history to reach that mark. Jonquel Jones added 16 points on 60 percent (6-for-10) shooting from the field with nine rebounds, five assists and a block. Jones passed 4,500 career points and scored in double figures for the 99th time in a Liberty uniform, which ranks 10th in franchise history.
New York began the game on an 11-1 run, holding Phoenix to 14.3 percent (1-for-7) shooting from the field with three turnovers in the first five minutes of the game. The Liberty held Phoenix to 25 percent (4-for-16) shooting from the field in the first, matching the lowest field-goal percentage and fewest field goals made by any Liberty opponent in a single quarter this season. New York outscored Phoenix 14-6 in the paint in the opening frame. All eight of the Liberty's made field goals in the second quarter came off assists and New York went on a 13-4 run from 1:05 in the first to 8:58 in the second. Phoenix fought back with a 14-4 run from 6:00 to 1:47 in the second and cut the Liberty's lead to 46-43 at the break.
The Mercury gained the advantage with a 17-4 run from 9:05 to 4:06 in the third, and New York trailed by 10 with under two minutes remaining in the third before closing the quarter on a 12-1 run to take a 66-65 lead into the fourth. The Liberty shot 58.8 percent (10-for-17) from the field and 80 percent (4-for-5) from 3-point range in the final frame, and Rebecca Allen's 3-pointer with 1:10 remaining pushed the lead to 92-84. Phoenix scored the next six points, but Stewart's free throws with 12.7 seconds remaining closed out a 94-92 win for the Liberty.
The Liberty shot 66.7 percent (6-for-9) from 3-point range in the second half, their best 3-point percentage in any half this season. New York also outrebounded Phoenix 37-23 and won the second-chance points battle 16-5 to move to 3-0 against the Mercury this season. The Liberty have scored at least 94 points in five consecutive games for the longest such streak in franchise history. This was New York's fourth time coming back from a deficit of at least eight points to win over the past five games, marking the first time in franchise history that the Liberty recorded four such comeback wins in a five-game span.
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from August 1, 2026
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