WNBA New York Liberty

New York Liberty Game Notes: Game #33 vs. Washington Mystics - Friday, September 11

September 10, 2015 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
New York Liberty News Release


NEW YORK LIBERTY (23-9) vs. WASHINGTON MYSTICS (17-15)

Friday, Sept. 11 - Madison Square Garden - 7 PM

Broadcast: MSG Network

With home court throughout the WNBA playoffs assured, the New York Liberty will wrap up the home portion of its regular season schedule when it hosts the Washington Mystics on Friday night at Madison Square Garden at 7:30 p.m. Washington has taken 2-of-3 from New York this year, but two of those games came very early in the season with the Liberty was still without guard Epiphanny Prince. Prince actually made her season debut the last time New York and Washington met, way back on July 9 in Washington, D.C., a game the Liberty won 79-76 in overtime. Tina Charles posted a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Prince came off the bench to score 12 points, the only game she has not been in the starting lineup this year.

LIBERTY CLINCHES HOME COURT THROUGHOUT WNBA PLAYOFFS

With its 74-64 win over the Connecticut Sun on Sept. 9, the Liberty clinched home court advantage throughout the WNBA Playoffs for the first time in franchise history. New York had already secured the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2002, but is now the first squad from the East to post the best record in the league since Detroit, led by Bill Laimbeer, did so in 2007. Additionally, the 23 regular season wins represent a new franchise record, surpassing the previous mark of 22, set in 2010, which was also the last time a WNBA Playoff game was played at The Garden. New York is 12-4 on its home court so far this season.

LIBERTY SEASON HEADLINES

New York will enter the WNBA Playoffs as the top overall seed for the first time in franchise history.

New York currently sits at 23-9 overall, posting the most regular season wins in franchise history, passing the previous mark of 22.

The Liberty needed just 22 games to surpass its win total (15) from a year ago.

The Liberty has clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2002.

The Liberty posted a five-game winning streak during the month of July, its longest stretch of consecutive wins since 2010.

The 2010 season was also the last time New York won three-straight games on the road.

New York swept the season series with Phoenix for the first time since 2012, both games from Los Angeles for the first time since 2010, and went 2-0 against Minnesota for the first time since 2007.

The Liberty is 10-2 against the Western Conference this season.

New York is 12-4 at Madison Square Garden and owns the league's best road record at 11-5.

LAST TIME OUT - NEW YORK 74, CONNECTICUT 64

New York clinches home court advantage throughout the WNBA Playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

The Liberty picked up its franchise-record 23rd win of the season, breaking the previous mark of 22 set during the 2010 season.

New York sweeps Connecticut for just the second time in franchise history and first since 1999, when the franchise was in Orlando.

Tina Charles becamse the 18th player in WNBA history to eclipse 2,000-career rebounds; she posted a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds and now has 3,400-career points and 2,011 rebounds.

Epiphanny Prince posted her fifth 20-plus point game of the season, leading all scorers with 25 points.

Prince and Kiah Stokes were presented with their WNBA Eastern Conference Player and Rookie of the Month for August awards prior to the game.

New York improved to 12-4 at Madison Square Garden.

TINA CHARLES 3K - 2K

With her 12th double-double of the season to the tune of 16 points and 13 rebounds in a win over Connecticut on Sept. 9, Tina Charles also eclipsed 2,000-career rebounds, becoming just the 18th player in WNBA history to do so. Earlier this season, she passed 3,000 points. Over just six WNBA seasons, Charles already ranks as one of the most prolific rebounders in league history, with her career-average of 10.2 rebounds per game ranking first all-time. This year, she is averaging 8.8 rebounds per game, which is second-best in the WNBA.

NEW YORK SIGNS GUARD ERICA WHEELER FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON

The New York Liberty signed guard Erica Wheeler to a rest of season contract on September 7. New York used the roster hardship provision to add Wheeler, after rookie point guard Brittany Boyd underwent surgery to repair a fractured wrist. Wheeler is in her first year in the league, after graduating from Rutgers University in 2013. During the 2015 preseason, she signed a Training Camp contract with the Atlanta Dream, and appeared in 17 games averaging 4.5 points and 1.5 assists per game. A former Rutgers University standout, Wheeler scored 1,027-career points for the Scarlet Knights, and graduated ranked third in program history in 3-point field goals with 157.

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