Breanna Stewart recorded 15 points and 10 rebounds as the New York Liberty defeated the Washington Mystics 87-71 on Tuesday night, securing the top seed in the WNBA playoffs.
With this victory, the Liberty (32-7) will hold the No. 1 seed and will start their playoff campaign at home on Sunday against the eighth seed, which could potentially be the Mystics. The Mystics are currently tied with the Chicago Sky and are one game behind the Atlanta Dream as they head into Thursday’s season finales.
In addition to Stewart’s performance, Leonie Fiebich contributed 13 points and Nyara Sabally added 12 for the Liberty. Starters Jonquel Jones and Betnijah Lane-Hamilton each scored 11 points.
For the Mystics (13-26), Ariel Atkins led with 22 points. Washington will face the Indiana Fever on Thursday, while the Sky will play the Connecticut Sun and the Dream will compete against the Liberty.
The game began with Julie Vanloo hitting a 3-pointer for the Mystics, but the Liberty quickly took control as four of their starters scored the next 10 points. New York maintained the lead throughout the game, with Stewart’s basket extending the margin to 26-12. By the end of the first quarter, the Liberty led 29-18.
New York’s front line totaled 26 points, helping them to a 47-37 lead at halftime. The Liberty increased their advantage to 22 points in the third quarter.
The Liberty outperformed the Mystics in several statistical categories, including a 50-18 edge in points in the paint and a 16-2 advantage in second-chance points. The rebounding margin was 45-29, with a 12-3 lead on offensive rebounds.
