Brookyln, NY—On Sunday, the New York Liberty (1-0) secured an 87-77 victory against the defending WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces (0-1), taking a 1-0 lead in the 2024 WNBA Semifinals.
With this win, head coach Sandy Brondello notched her 34th playoff victory, tying Mike Thibault for the third-most coaching wins in WNBA postseason history.
The Liberty showcased their speed, outpacing the Aces with a 16-6 advantage in fast-break points. Briana Stewart led the charge with an impressive 34 points and 4 rebounds, while Sabrina Ionesco contributed 21 points and 5 assists.
“I think I’ve just kind of grown from it, had a lot of time to reflect on it,” said Stewart, who was dealing with the death of her father-in-law from cancer right before last year’s series. “How I can be better. How to handle things collectively better. I don’t forget who I am and what I can do. That wasn’t my most proudest, but I’ll continue to be better now.”
Playing in front of a sellout crowd of 14,015 at Barclays Center, the Liberty faced an early 18-point deficit and trailed 48-38 at halftime, with Stewart scoring 20 points by the break.
New York shot 50% from the field (30-60) and 42.1% from three-point range (8-19). Chelsea Gray was the top scorer for the Aces with 24 points, and A’ja Wilson added 21 points and 6 rebounds.
Las Vegas made a strong push with a 12-0 run from the 5:31 mark of the third quarter, but New York responded with an 8-2 run in the fourth, sealing the game with a decisive finish.
Game 2 of the best-of-5 matchup is Tuesday night in New York at the Barclays Center.
“Do or die, you have to win Game 2,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said. “No other way around it.”
