Brooklyn, NY— The Golden State Valkyries delivered another defensive masterclass against the New York Liberty on Thursday night, pulling away for a convincing 79-60 victory and completing a three-game sweep of the defending champions this season.
Cecilia Zandalasini powered Golden State with 20 points, including 14 in the opening half, while Gabby Williams contributed 16 points as the Valkyries improved to 28-11.
The loss dropped New York to 23-16 and ended the Liberty’s six-game winning streak at home.
Golden State has proven to be a particularly difficult matchup for New York throughout the season. The Valkyries are now 3-0 against the Liberty, and they have held New York to 70, 67 and 60 points in their three meetings. Those three totals represent the Liberty’s three lowest-scoring performances of the season.
The latest defensive effort also brought an end to an impressive offensive run for New York. The Liberty had entered the game having scored at least 80 points in 16 consecutive contests, the longest such streak in franchise history.
Zandalasini Sets the Tone
Zandalasini established herself early, knocking down four 3-pointers before halftime as Golden State built a 42-30 advantage.
The Valkyries continued to apply pressure coming out of the locker room. An 11-6 run to open the third quarter extended Golden State’s advantage to 17 points and put New York in a difficult position.
The Liberty struggled to generate consistent offense as the Valkyries controlled the pace and continued to expand their lead.
Golden State then opened the fourth quarter with six straight points, pushing the margin to 65-47 and effectively putting the game out of reach.
Burton Controls the Offense
Veronica Burton provided another strong all-around performance for Golden State, finishing with eight points and a season-high 13 assists.
Her playmaking helped keep the Valkyries’ offense organized while New York struggled to find answers defensively.
Tiffany Hayes supplied an additional spark from the bench with 12 points as Golden State followed up Wednesday night’s 89-64 victory over Connecticut with another dominant performance.
The back-to-back wins showed the Valkyries’ ability to maintain their intensity despite playing on consecutive nights.
Liberty Struggle to Find Their Offense
Jonquel Jones led New York with 18 points, while Breanna Stewart finished with 16 points despite shooting just 4 of 10 from the field.
New York simply could not sustain enough offensive production against Golden State’s defense.
The Liberty’s 60 points marked a dramatic departure from the offensive pace they had established during their 16-game streak of 80-point performances.
Golden State’s ability to repeatedly limit New York’s scoring has now become one of the most notable storylines in the season series.
The Valkyries will look to continue their strong finish to the regular season when they travel to Portland on Sunday.
New York will attempt to bounce back Saturday when the Liberty return home to face Chicago.
Up Next:
Valkyries: At Portland on Sunday.
Liberty: Host Chicago on Saturday.
