Brooklyn, NY—–Center Jonquel Jones delivered a standout performance with 21 points and 12 boards as New York secured a 76-67 victory over the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday night, fueled by a strong defensive effort in the final quarter.
The win came as a response to Minnesota’s recent Commissioner’s Cup championship victory over New York, with the Liberty seeking redemption. The game began with a tightly contested first quarter, with the Liberty holding a narrow 14-11 lead at the 4:07 mark. Sabrina Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot led the charge for New York with five points each. However, the Lynx utilized effective three-point shooting to close the quarter ahead, 22-20.
New York pushed their pace in the second quarter, capitalizing on Jones’ inside presence to ignite their offense, as she finished the half with 13 points. The Liberty dominated the paint, scoring 22 points and 11 second-chance points, entering halftime tied with the Lynx at 42.
Breanna Stewart chipped in 17 points and 17 rebounds, downplaying the rematch after the Commissioner’s Cup loss.
In the second half, New York found themselves trailing 65-61 before tightening their defense. Over the next 7 1/2 minutes, the Liberty held Minnesota scoreless, scoring 15 consecutive points to surge ahead 74-65 with 1:07 remaining, effectively sealing the game with free throws from Sabrina Ionescu.
“That was great team defense, everyone was locked in,” remarked Jones, who earned a spot on the WNBA All-Star team following the game.
Kayla McBride led the Lynx with 17 points, while Napheesa Collier poured in 15.
Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve noted, “To hold a really good team to 37% shooting on the road, we did what we could to give ourselves a chance to win this game.”
The tightly contested affair saw the game tied at halftime, with Minnesota briefly pulling ahead by seven in the third quarter, only for the Libs to narrow the deficit to 59-58 by the end of the period. Stewart’s defensive prowess, including a critical block and a floater in the final minutes, helped secure the Liberty’s comeback effort.
Jones, who struggled in the Commissioner’s Cup loss, rebounded with a strong showing, surpassing her previous game’s total early in the first quarter and finishing with 13 points and six rebounds by halftime.
Despite battling illness, Sabrina Ionescu played a pivotal role with 17 points, earning praise from Jones: “She could’ve stayed home, but she understood the importance of this game. It’s a blessing to have a teammate like her.”
UP NEXT:
Lynx: Host Connecticut on Thursday.
Liberty: On the road in Indiana on Saturday.
