Breanna Stewart, Courtney Vandersloot lead Liberty past Storm
Liberty guard Courtney Vandersloot controls the ball against the Mercury during the first half of a WNBA game at Barclays Center on June 18. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
SEATTLE — Breanna Stewart had 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists, Courtney Vandersloot added 18 points and 12 assists and the Liberty beat the Seattle Storm 81-66 Sunday.
Vandersloot had her fifth double-double, and her seventh game with at least 10 assists, this season. Sabrina Ionescu scored 13 points and Betnijah Laney finished with 10 for the Liberty (11-4).
Stewart made to mid-range jumpers and then assisted on a 3-pointer by Ionescu that made it 7-0 and the Liberty never trailed. Marine Johannes hit a 3 to close the first quarter and another to open the second that stretched the lead to 15 points and Ionescu made a 3-pointer about 2 1/2 minutes into the second half that gave the Liberty their biggest lead of the game at 49-27.
Jewell Loyd, who went into the game leading the league in scoring at 25.7 per game (Stewart is tied with Arike Ogunbowale for No. 2 at 22.1), led Seattle (4-11) with 27 points. Ezi Magbegor added 12 points and Sami Whitcomb and Kia Nurse scored 10 points apiece.
The Liberty finished with a season-high 16 steals — including five by Stewart and four by Vandersloot — and had 29 assists on 33 made field goals.
The Storm have lost three games in a row and five of their last six.
The Liberty responded to a 98-81 loss at the WNBA-leading Las Vegas Aces on Thursday to win for the fifth time in six games.
