Wrapping up a two-game home stand, the New York Liberty hosted the Minnesota Lynx for the third and final time this regular season. Despite coming back from a 16-point deficit in the first half, New York ultimately fell to the Lynx at Westchester County Center, 89-73.
Minnesota won the tip to open the match and the Liberty got a stop on their first defensive possession. Tied at ten with 4:36 left in the first quarter, the Lynx went on a 10-2 run, giving the team a six-point advantage.
In the first quarter, New York shot 42.9% from the field and Minnesota shot 53.3% from the field. The Liberty did not make a single three-point shot in the first quarter, but things turned around in the second, thanks to Rebecca Allen. Allen scored 20 of the team’s 26 second quarter points, 80% (8-10) from the field and 100% (4-4) deep.
Danielle Robinson scored nine first half points off of the bench for the Lynx. Minnesota led by as many as 16 points in the first half, however, 20 points from Rebecca Allen in the second quarter alone, got the Liberty within two points of the Lynx headed into the locker room. She scored a career-high 28 points on the night.
Out of the locker room, Reshanda Gray immediately tied the game at 42 with a layup. Minnesota regained and extended their lead from half to eight points with 7:12 left in the quarter forcing a New York timeout. New York went down as many as 11 in the third quarter.
Rebecca Allen opened the fourth quarter with back-to-back three-point shots to get the Liberty within eight points. Allen made six consecutive shots tonight.
Despite hot shooting from Allen, Minnesota led by as many as 19 points in the fourth quarter. The Lynx maintained their lead and went on to defeat the Liberty for the first time in New York this season.
UP NEXT: New York heads on the road for a three-game road trip beginning in Dallas when the team takes on the Wings on Friday, August 16 at 8 p.m. ET.
LIBERTY NOTES:
- Rebecca Allen led the Liberty offensively with a career night off of the bench, scoring 28 points on 73.3% (11-15) shooting from the field and 85.7% (6-7) from deep.
- Allen scored 20 points in the second quarter alone tying for the second most points scored in a quarter. The WNBA record for points in a single quarter is 22, which is held by Diana Taurasi, who scored 22 in a single quarter on July 14, 2006.
- New York shot 43.9 the field and 44.4% from beyond the arc on the night.
- Kia Nurse and Bria Hartley also scored in double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
- Tina Charles added seven points and seven rebounds.
LYNX NOTES:
- Minnesota shot 51.6% from the field and 28.6% from the three-point line. The Lynx outscored the Liberty in the paint 42-28.\
- Odyssey Sims scored 17 points and dished six assists on 70% (7-10) shooting from the field in her fourth consecutive game scoring double figures for the Lynx.
New York Liberty Quotes
Coach Katie Smith’s initial thoughts on the game
“We battled for a little while, and at the start of the third quarter, we gave them the lead again and then it was dog fight the rest of the way. We didn’t hit shots, along with defensive break downs and turnovers. Our defense and offense wasn’t very smooth and Minnesota amped their pressure which put us in a dog fight”
Coach Katie on Rebecca Allen
“She did a nice job. We played her at the four to space the floor because Minnesota plays three quarters hard, and just lays a body on Tina, so at some point they have to go help. They would leave shooters open and we were able to find her to knock the shots down. We’ve been able to run some actions for her, she’s long enough to get her shot off and she’s always aggressive. On top of that, on defense she’s always in there battling and competing which is also something that she gives us”
Coach Katie on her team
“Our team’s composure was great. We’ve had success in the first half with digging ourselves out of a hole. I liked that the unit that came in was ready to rock and roll, but the 3rd quarter is such a menace for us and the 4th wasn’t much better with 18pts. However, we have to find a way to stop them from scoring if we aren’t scoring. If we are going to be limited on the offensive end, we have to have this mindset that they can’t score.”
Rebecca Allen opening statements on reclaiming lead
“We made a good run at it and we started being aggressive. We were moving the ball really well, but we could not keep that lead tonight and that was the main problem”
Allen on her offense
“I kept feeling really confident. It’s nice when I’m feeling like that in a game. My teammates were feeding me the ball at the right time, and running some good sets. It felt good coming out of my hand tonight”.
Allen on team defense
“It starts with stops, we were able to get some fast break lay ups. That is when we were the most aggressive.”
Kia Nurse opening statements
“We got some defensive stops that translated to our offense getting some good shots. Rebecca was on fire today and knocked a bunch of shots for us.”
Nurse on playing Dallas Next
“It’s another basketball game and another moment for us to get execute and get better as a team and do what we have to do to get a win.”
Minnesota Lynx Quotes
Coach Cheryl Reeve on tonight’s game
“However the call, you just have to adjust. I do think it’s unfortunate that all of a sudden now everything is a foul. It is what it is, we have to win the game anyway, regardless of what’s happening. Sylvia Fowles on the bench with three fouls and just under eight minutes to go in the second quarter, five offensive fouls on us, I don’t think we are that bad at screening. I think the bigger story was Rebecca Allen, she got hot, and we made a silly matchup error that got the fire started. When she got that three at the top of the key, just a silly matchup coming out of the timeout, a miscommunication. She single handedly got them back, it was fun for the fans, but not for us, trying to figure it out, and then at half time we discussed some things we needed to do.”
Coach Cheryl on the team’s performance after half time
“We turned it over 11 times, we know that fuels a team when they are at home. I know we can move the ball well, we shared it well, we took shots when we were open, that’s key. We had three turnovers in the second half, we shot 58%, it was a tough night for Fowles, so I just told her sometimes during the stretch of the season you go through a rough patch and I think that’s for her, but every single day of her life she’s going to defend and rebound, so it was really valuable for us during the second half.”
Danielle Robinson on team identity
“I think the moment you step into the Lynx organization you pick up the identity. We are all going to compete to the best of our ability and play for each other.”
Robinson on individual role
“That was the great thing about coming here. I talked to coach, and she told me to play with pace and push the ball. If I just play my game, coach puts belief in me.”
Robinson on team effort this season
“I see a trust factor that’s there and obviously we have new faces. I think we have played our way through it. Yeah it hasn’t been pretty this entire time but I think we are clicking at the right moments especially toward the end of the season.”
Stephanie Talbot on individual performance
“I think I shot well. I think there are some things I could have done better defensively, but a good team win especially in the second half.”
Talbot on next game (Washington)
“I think rebounding is big, also playing the scout, but getting rebounds especially will be key
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