Ionescu Shines with 36 as Liberty Snap Skid, Beat Sun 87-78

Sabrina Ionescu | Getty Images

On Sunday afternoon at Barclays Center, Sabrina Ionescu delivered a season-defining performance to help the New York Liberty defeat the Connecticut Sun 87–78, snapping a four-game losing streak. The Liberty improved to 18–10 behind Ionescu’s 36 points and 10 rebounds, as well as the long-awaited return of forward Emma Meesseman. New York entered the game on the heels of a humbling 78–62 loss to the Sun just two days earlier, their worst defeat of the season. Ionescu made it clear early on that the Liberty would not let history repeat itself, scoring 16 of the team’s first 20 points and finishing just one shy of her career high. It was her fifth 30-point game of the season and her first double-double. In addition, Ionescu surpassed 1,000 career assists, becoming the third-fastest player in league history to reach that milestone.

“She’s our engine,” Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello said after the game. “When Sabrina gets going like that, we feed off her energy.”

Emma Meesseman, who last played in the WNBA in 2022, scored 11 points—all in the second half. A former Finals MVP, Meesseman recently earned three consecutive EuroLeague MVP honors and added stability and experience to the Liberty’s rotation. “It felt good to be back out there,” Meesseman said. “The team has a lot of potential, and I’m glad I could help right away.” Jonquel Jones added 21 points and nine rebounds for New York, who were again without All-Star forward Breanna Stewart, sidelined for the fourth straight game with a knee bruise. Connecticut, now 5–22, was led by veteran center Tina Charles, who had 17 points and eight rebounds. Rookie Anneesah Morrow continued her strong season with 16 points and nine boards, while Bria Hartley and Marina Mabrey chipped in with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

The Liberty never trailed after closing the first quarter on a 9–0 run to take a 25–19 lead. They led 45–38 at halftime, and Meesseman sparked a third-quarter surge that pushed the advantage to double digits. The Sun battled late but could not close the gap. With the victory, the Liberty move closer to locking up a playoff position and are expected to continue their climb once Stewart returns. They next face the Chicago Sky on Wednesday. Connecticut will look to regroup when they host the Washington Mystics.