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WNBA New York Liberty

New York Liberty Game Notes: Game #30 vs. Chicago Sky - Thursday, September 3 - 7 pm

September 2, 2015 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
New York Liberty News Release


NEW YORK LIBERTY (21-8) vs. CHICAGO SKY (18-12)

Thursday, Sept. 3 - Madison Square Garden - 7 PM

Broadcast: MSG Network

Playing consecutive home games at Madison Square Garden for the first time since mid-July, the first-place New York Liberty closes out a mini home stand when it hosts the Chicago Sky on Thursday night at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on MSG Network. New York has already clinched the season-series against the Sky, taking all three meetings of the year, most recently an 84-63 win at The Garden on August 11. The Liberty has seen a significant scoring boost when facing Chicago, averaging 83.3 ppg while limiting the Sky, the highest scoring team in the league to just 69.0 ppg. The Sky were without Elena Delle Donne in that game, she sat out due to an ankle injury.

MAGIC NUMBER TO CLINCH THE EAST DOWN TO TWO

The New York Liberty boasts the best record in the WNBA at 21-8 and needs just two wins over its final five games to secure the best record in the Eastern Conference. The Liberty has entered the postseason as the No. 1 seed in the East three times, most recently in 2002 when it advanced to WNBA Finals before falling 2-0 to Los Angeles. Additionally, New York sits just one game shy of the franchise single-season wins record, set back in 2010, when it finished 22-12 overall and placed second in the East, advancing to the conference finals. The Liberty has already clinched a playoff berth, its first since 2012, and is off to a 21-8 start for the first time in franchise history. Three more wins over the final five games would secure home court throughout the playoffs.

SWEET AS SUGAR

Guard Sugar Rodgers came off the bench to lead the New York Liberty to a come-from-behind 80-75 overtime victory over the Atlanta Dream on September 1 at Madison Square Garden, tying a career-high of 23 points while nailing a personal best five 3-pointers in the win. For Rodgers, it was the first game scoring in double figures since she netted 10 points in a win at Phoenix back on July 18. She started six games earlier in the year while Epiphanny Prince missed time to compete internationally, scoring in double figures in every start, but had eclipsed 10-points just twice since the second week of July. She currently ranks 38th in the WNBA in scoring, averaging 8.3 ppg.

LAST TIME OUT - NEW YORK 80, ATLANTA 75 (OT)

New York improves to 21-8, one win shy of matching the franchise record set in 2010.

Sugar Rodgers scored 23 points matching a career-high. First game in double figures since scoring 10 points at Phoenix on July 18.

Second OT game of the year for New York; won at Washington 79-76 on July 9. The Liberty now 2-0 in OT.

New York went 4-1 this year against Atlanta and swept all three at Madison Square Garden.

The Liberty's magic number to clinch the best record in the East is two with five games to play.

Atlanta held scoreless over final 3:17 of regulation.

New York improved to 11-3 at Madison Square Garden this season.

KIAH STOKES NAMED WNBA ROOKIE OF THE MONTH

Kiah Stokes of the New York Liberty was named the WNBA Rookie of the Month presented by Samsung for games played in August. Stokes led all rookies in rebounds (8.3 rpg), field goal percentage (.564, 31-for-55), and blocks (1.5 bpg) for the month. She also placed second in minutes per game (27.8 mpg), third in free throw percentage (.833, 10-for-12), and fifth in points (7.2 ppg). Stokes ranked fourth among all WNBA players in rebounds and field goal percentage while tying for fifth in blocks. She collected 10 or more rebounds in five of her 10 games played in August.

MAKING A CASE FOR ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Kiah Stokes is having one of the most impressive rookie seasons in the WNBA and is making a solid case for being considered the league's Rookie of the Year. In terms of total all-around impact and overall team success, it is tough to argue any first year player is more critical to team success than Stokes, who leads all rookies in blocks and rebounds per game and field goal percentage. With Stokes helping anchor the interior, the Liberty lead the league in points against and defensive field goal percentage, and is the toughest team to score against in the paint. She is coming off a 12 point, 10 rebound performance in a win at Connecticut on Saturday night.

Category STAT ROOKIE RANK LEAGUE RANK

Blocks Per Game 2.1 1 4

Rebounds Per Game 6.8 1 9

Field Goal Percentage .565 1 -

Minutes Per Game 25.3 2 38

Points Per Game 6.2 8 -

EPIPHANNY PRINCE NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK A SECOND TIME

Guard Epiphanny Prince was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the second time this season and the fourth of her career on Aug. 31; she previously received the honor two weeks prior on Aug. 17. Prince, who helped New York post a 2-0 record for the week, led the Eastern Conference in scoring (20.0 ppg), was tied for second in steals (2.0 spg), ranked fifth in field goal percentage (.586 on 17-of-29 shooting), and tied for seventh in assists (3.0 apg). She scored 22 points in a win over Minnesota and followed that up with 18 points in a win at Connecticut the next night.

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