Final: @nyliberty overcome @wnbachicagosky in overtime 97-94@tinacharles31: 28 PTS, 7 REB@Sloot22: 20 PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST pic.twitter.com/TDNUJ2HenM
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 2, 2018
It took five extra minutes, but the New York Liberty finally prevailed in a close game, stealing a close win from Chicago.
Sunday night had the looks of a story the New York Liberty had seen far too often: they played well for stretches, periods negated by giving up points in bunches, endured a buzzer-beater, and saw a game go down to the wire.
This time, however, they rewrote the ending.
Tina Charles’ shot off the glass with 15 seconds left in overtime gave her not only 28 points on the evening, but also a hard-fought win for her New York Liberty, who ended a five-game losing streak with a 97-94 triumph over the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena.
Charles was one of five players in double figures for the Liberty (5-11), who also enjoyed a double-double from Kia Vaughn.
.@KIA_VAUGHN (12 pts, 11reb) was an absolute force in the paint tonight. #WatchHerWork pic.twitter.com/27PfDPnBz9
— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) July 2, 2018
3rd Star: Kia Vaughn
The Liberty are perhaps best known for their outside shooting, but Vaughn gave them strong play on the inside, picking up 12 points and 11 rebounds, including five on the offensive end.
Those 11 boards are a season-high for Vaughn, who has reached double figures twice over the past three games (averaging 12.3 PPG over that trio).
Midrange game ?? @adifferent1five has 12 points ☑️ p.s. we see that screen @KIA_VAUGHN ? #ShowUp? pic.twitter.com/KFbTOQGsOD
— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) July 2, 2018
2nd Star: Brittany Boyd
Boyd reached double-figures for the second consecutive game, earning 14 off the bench. She also continued to fulfill her role as the Swiss Army Bench Player for New York, as she picked up a team-high five assists and four rebounds.
Enjoying extended time for the first time all season, Boyd seems fully recovered from the Achilles tendon that cost her the first four games of the season.
With shot clock winding down, @tinacharles31 connects from deep!@nyliberty and @wnbachicagosky all tied up on League Pass. #WatchMeWork pic.twitter.com/7NE8TOq4hu
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 1, 2018
1st Star: Tina Charles
Visibly annoyed with the close losses, Charles made sure the Liberty would escape Chicago victorious. Her shot off the glass gave the Liberty a lead they wouldn’t relinquish, and her consistent shooting kept the game close when it could’ve gotten out of hand. Her 28 points were the highest since the Liberty’s previous win, back on June 19.
If the Liberty can showcase a more consistent offensive display like this, with Charles leading the way and getting some strong help, it can help the Liberty dig out of this self-inflicted hole.
How It Was Decided
The Liberty built a seemingly secure six-point lead in the overtime frame, but the Sky, kickstarted by strong performances from Allie Quigley and Courtney Vandersloot, fought back and went up 94-93 after a pair of Vandersloot free throws. Epiphanny Prince missed response layup, but fought hard with Chicago’s dominating interior prescience Skylar Dolson on the rebound, forcing a jump ball.
After Charles got possession, she got the rebound on a missed Prince triple. Taking advantage of a fallen Dolson, who was knocked down by inadvertent contact on the rebound, Charles banked it in for the winner. A Shavonte Zellous rebound on the other end stopped further drama, and the Liberty celebrated the win.
.@Breezyyy14 hits fadeaway at the shot clock buzzer!
Hartley scores first 5 PTS for @nyliberty on League Pass. #WatchMeWork pic.twitter.com/8aYGHMKxQ2
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 1, 2018
Game Notes
- Marissa Coleman (right ankle sprain) missed her fourth consecutive game.
- The Liberty are now 2-0 in overtime games this season, with both occurrences coming on the road. They previously earned an 87-81 victory over Indiana on June 2.
- In another good Liberty omen, Shavonte Zellous had 12 points. New York is 5-2 when Zellous reaches double figures.
- After splitting a home and home, the Liberty will face off against the Sky one more time on July 15 in New York. Chicago leads the overall season series 2-1.
What’s Next
The Liberty will look to start a winning streak on Tuesday night as they welcome in the Seattle Storm to Westchester County Center (7:00 p.m. ET, MSG+/ESPN3).
