Overtime Setback Puts Liberty in 0-2 Hole
Published on October 7, 2026 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
New York Liberty News Release
ATLANTA - The New York Liberty (0-2) dropped an overtime contest against the Atlanta Dream (2-0), 101-98, in Game 2 of their Semifinals series.
Breanna Stewart led the Liberty with a double-double of 35 points and 11 rebounds while adding six assists and a pair of blocks in 43 minutes. Stewart scored 25 points in the first half, including 15 in the first quarter, the highest-scoring first quarter by any player this postseason and tied for the highest-scoring quarter of her postseason career. She passed Maya Moore (22) for the fourth-most double-digit scoring quarters in the playoffs and became the fourth player in WNBA postseason history to score 15 points in a quarter multiple times, joining Candace Parker, Angel McCoughtry and Seimone Augustus. Stewart became the first player in WNBA postseason history to record at least 35 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a game, and the fourth player all-time to score at least 34 points in multiple games within a single postseason. Her 109 points are the most by a Liberty player through the first four games of a postseason, surpassing Cappie Pondexter's 106 in 2010. Stewart passed Sylvia Fowles (426) for the 10th-most rebounds in WNBA postseason history and reached 250 playoff rebounds with New York while becoming the first player in franchise history to record 50 postseason blocks.
Jonquel Jones added 21 points on 72.7 percent (8-for-11) shooting from the field with eight rebounds and four blocks. One game after matching the franchise record for blocks in a playoff game with five in the fourth quarter alone, Jones added four more before halftime to become the first Liberty player to record consecutive playoff games with at least four blocks each, and the first player since Brittney Griner in 2015 to post at least four blocks in consecutive playoff halves. Her 11 blocks are the second-most by a Liberty player through the first four games of a postseason. Jones reached 400 postseason points with the Liberty, passing Vickie Johnson (410) for the third-most in franchise postseason history, and made her 150th postseason field goal with New York. She also moved past DeWanna Bonner (81) for the fifth-most blocks in WNBA postseason history and recorded her 25th career playoff game with at least 15 points and seven rebounds, the eighth-most in WNBA postseason history.
Marine Fauthoux came off the bench to score a career-high 20 points on 80 percent (8-for-10) shooting from the field and 66.7 percent (4-for-6) from beyond the arc while adding career postseason highs of six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Fauthoux became the fourth rookie in franchise history to score at least 20 points in a playoff game, joining Crystal Robinson (1999), Kiah Stokes (2015) and Leonie Fiebich (2024), and recorded the highest-scoring playoff game by a rookie this postseason. She joined Tamika Catchings (2002) as the only rookies in WNBA postseason history to record at least 17 points, six rebounds, three 3-pointers and two steals in a playoff game. She is also just the third player in league history to score 20 or more points on at least 80 percent shooting from the field while taking five or more 3-point attempts in a playoff game, regardless of experience. Fauthoux scored 15 of her points after halftime, including a game-tying 3-pointer late in regulation as she became the third rookie in WNBA postseason history to make a go-ahead or game-tying shot in the final 11 seconds of regulation or overtime, joining Brittney Griner (2013) and Nikki Teasley (2002).
Sabrina Ionescu finished with 10 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Ionescu recorded her 21st postseason game with at least five assists in a Liberty uniform, passing Teresa Weatherspoon (20) for the most such games in Liberty postseason history. She has made a 3-pointer in eight straight playoff games and moved ahead of Tamika Catchings (81) for the 12th-most 3-pointers in WNBA postseason history. Ionescu also reached 150 postseason rebounds while passing Tari Phillips (149) for the fourth-most in Liberty postseason history. Leonie Fiebich added five rebounds and three assists, passing Kym Hampton (74) for the 11th-most rebounds in Liberty postseason history and tying Teresa Weatherspoon (63) for the 13th-most made field goals in franchise postseason history.
New York went on a 12-3 run from 7:13 to 5:30 in the first and finished the quarter shooting 61.5 percent (8-for-13) from the field and 80 percent (4-for-5) from deep, which marked the team's highest 3-point percentage in any quarter so far this postseason. Jones and Stewart combined for 37 points on 85.7 percent (12-for-14) shooting from the field before halftime, and the Liberty went on a 10-2 run from 3:08 to 1:51 in the second, but Atlanta held a 56-54 advantage at the break. New York finished the first half shooting 66.7 percent (18-for-27) from the field, which is the highest field-goal percentage by any team in a single postseason half since 2022, and the Liberty's 71.4 percent (10-for-14) shooting from the field in the second period marked the team's best field-goal percentage in a quarter this postseason. New York's 54 first-half points also tied the franchise record for points in a postseason half.
Atlanta went on an 11-4 run from 5:46 to 1:59 and led by as many as eight points in the third before New York closed the quarter on a 7-0 run over the final 1:05 to cut the deficit to a single point, 75-74, entering the final frame. The Liberty shot 57.1 percent (8-for-14) from the field in the third while outscoring Atlanta 12-4 in the paint. New York held Atlanta to 21.1 percent (4-for-19) shooting from the field and without a 3-pointer on five attempts in the fourth quarter, and the Dream's 13 points in the frame were the fewest by a Liberty opponent in any quarter this postseason. Trailing 86-80 with 1:55 remaining, the Liberty closed regulation on an 8-2 run over the final 1:40, capped by Fauthoux's game-tying 3-pointer with 10.3 seconds remaining, to force overtime at 88-88.
Atlanta scored the first five points of overtime before New York answered with an 8-0 run from 3:13 to 2:01 to take a 96-93 lead. Stewart's layup with 33.8 seconds left put the Liberty back in front, 98-97, but the Dream regained the lead with 20.8 seconds remaining and held on for a 101-98 win. New York shot 54.7 percent (35-for-64) from the field, and the Liberty's 98 points tied the franchise record for points in a postseason game. This marked the second time in franchise postseason history that three different Liberty players (Stewart, Jones and Fauthoux) each scored at least 20 points in a single playoff game.
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from October 7, 2026
- Overtime Setback Puts Liberty in 0-2 Hole - New York Liberty
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