The Dallas Wings defeated the New York Liberty 92-82 on Monday in Arlington, Texas, overcoming the Liberty who were without star forward Breanna Stewart. The Wings took command early and maintained their lead despite a late push by the Liberty, capturing a notable win as Stewart’s absence impacted the Liberty’s performance.
Wings establish a commanding lead early
Arike Ogunbowale led the Wings with 20 points and 14 assists, while Paige Bueckers also contributed 20 points. Dallas jumped to a 16-2 lead within the first four minutes, and eventually extended it to 23-6. New York’s Leonie Fiebich ended the early scoring run with a layup, but the Wings continued to dominate the first quarter.
Marine Johannes helped ignite a Liberty comeback late in the opening period, with Talbot and Jonquel Jones each sinking three-pointers to trim the margin to 31-19 by the quarter’s end. However, the Wings began the second quarter reinforcing their grip on the game.
Liberty struggle to close the gap as Wings hold strong
Grace Berger and Bueckers fueled a 10-1 Dallas run early in the second quarter, increasing the lead to 41-19. Despite Natasha Cloud’s field goal that marked New York’s first points in the quarter, the Wings maintained a wide margin of 63-36 at halftime. Luisa Geiselsoder added 14 points for Dallas, who had been struggling with one of the league’s worst records but earned their second win in eight games.
New York’s Jonquel Jones scored 18 points, Sabrina Ionescu had 17, and teammates Stephanie Talbot and Isabelle Harrison each added 10 points. The defending WNBA champions began a four-game road trip that they hope will include Stewart’s return after her injury.
Late Liberty rally falls short against persistent Wings defense
Dallas led by as many as 30 points early in the third quarter and held an 85-62 advantage at the period’s end. Although the Liberty fought back to cut the deficit to six points with under two minutes remaining, the Wings responded with key free throws from Bueckers and DiJonai Carrington to secure the win. The Wings notably went scoreless for over six minutes before those critical free throws put the game out of reach.
Impact of Stewart’s injury on Liberty’s prospects
Breanna Stewart was sidelined due to a lower right leg injury sustained three minutes into Saturday’s close loss to the Los Angeles Sparks. This game marked the Liberty’s first full contest without their All-Star forward this season. Stewart’s absence was clearly felt as the Liberty faced a tough test against Dallas, who seized the opportunity to claim an unexpected victory.
With the Liberty holding the second-best record in the league at 17-8, the outcome highlights the challenges they face without Stewart during their current road trip. The team remains hopeful that she will return soon to restore their strength and sustain their playoff positioning.