Breanna Stewart shines as Liberty cruise past Clark-less Fever

Breanna Stewart delivered a dominant all-around performance to lead the New York Liberty to a 98-77 victory over the Indiana Fever on Wednesday night at Barclays Center. Stewart posted 24 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, and four blocks while shooting 10-of-15 from the field as the Liberty (15-6) cruised to their third straight win.


Sabrina Ionescu added 15 points and nine assists, and Natasha Cloud contributed 14 points as New York shot an impressive 57.8 percent from the field and 51.9 percent from beyond the arc.



Kennedy Burke and Rebekah Gardner also made key contributions during critical stretches, with Burke’s three-pointer sparking a 15-4 second-quarter run that pushed the lead to 17.

The Fever (12-11), who had won four straight, were without star rookie Caitlin Clark, sidelined by a groin injury. It was her 11th missed game this season, including the Commissioner’s Cup final. Without Clark, Indiana struggled offensively, shooting just 36.8 percent from the floor and 25 percent from three-point range.

Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana with 16 points, and Sophie Cunningham added 12, but the Fever couldn’t recover from an early deficit. New York led 32-24 after one quarter and extended the margin to 53-38 at halftime.

The Liberty never looked back, increasing the lead to 20 in the fourth quarter before resting Stewart and other starters with the game in hand.

With the win, New York strengthened its position among the WNBA’s top contenders, while Indiana was left regrouping without its centerpiece.