Liberty cruise past Fire 100‑82 in Portland
PORTLAND (Interstat) — The New York Liberty defeated the Portland Fire 100-82 on Thursday at Moda Center in front of 13,087 fans. New York improved to 3-1 overall, while Portland dropped to 1-2.
The Liberty outscored the Fire 31-16 in the third quarter to break open a close game. New York shot 34 of 67 from the floor and 15 of 38 from 3-point range, while making 17 of 20 free throws. Portland shot 30 of 68 from the field and 9 of 31 from deep.
Breanna Stewart led New York with a team-high scoring performance, supported by Pauline Astier and Rebekah Gardner. For Portland, Nyadiew Puoch scored 13 points, Bridget Carleton added 11 points and five rebounds, and Emily Engstler also had 11 points. Sug Sutton dished out eight assists to go with eight points. Megan Gustafson scored 14 points off the bench.
The Liberty forced 15 Portland turnovers while committing 12. New York had seven steals and seven assists, matching Portland’s totals in those categories. The victory avenged a 98-96 loss to Portland on Tuesday.