Ionescu leads New York against Connecticut after 31-point game
Uncasville, Connecticut; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: New York Liberty plays the Connecticut Sun after Sabrina Ionescu scored 31 points in the Liberty's 100-93 loss to the Minnesota Lynx.
The Sun have gone 2-7 against Eastern Conference teams. Connecticut ranks sixth in the Eastern Conference with 22.9 defensive rebounds per game led by Tina Charles averaging 4.2.
The Liberty are 10-2 in Eastern Conference play. New York is sixth in the Eastern Conference with 7.0 offensive rebounds per game led by Jonquel Jones averaging 1.8.
Connecticut scores 74.6 points per game, 6.8 fewer points than the 81.4 New York gives up. New York averages 10.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.3 more made shots on average than the 8.7 per game Connecticut allows.
The teams square off for the second time this season. In the last meeting on June 1 the Liberty won 100-52 led by 18 points from Ionescu, while Charles scored 10 points for the Sun.
TOP PERFORMERS: Charles is averaging 16.1 points and 5.8 rebounds for the Sun. Bria Hartley is averaging 13.5 points over the last 10 games.
Ionescu is averaging 19.7 points, 5.7 assists and 1.5 steals for the Liberty. Marine Johannes is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Sun: 2-8, averaging 80.1 points, 31.5 rebounds, 17.1 assists, 8.2 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 42.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 89.0 points per game.
Liberty: 6-4, averaging 88.4 points, 33.5 rebounds, 22.8 assists, 8.2 steals and 5.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 83.8 points.
INJURIES: Sun: None listed.
Liberty: Breanna Stewart: out (leg), Nyara Sabally: out (knee), Kennedy Burke: out (calf).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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