The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Former UConn Stewart leads Liberty in win over Sun
UNCASVILLE — Former UConn women’s basketball star Breanna Stewart finished with a gamehigh 24 points.
She made WNBA history by becoming the fastest player to reach 4,000 career points (196 games), beating fellow former Husky Diana Taurasi (197) for the record.
Yet, the performance wasn’t up to her or UConn associate head coach Chris Dailey’s standard.
“I wish I would have gotten a double-double because Chris Dailey already texted me that I should have got one more rebound, so thanks CD,” said Stewart, who finished just one rebound shy.
Stewart and the Liberty spoiled the Sun’s biggest home crowd of the season (7,344) with an 89-81 win Tuesday night at Mohegan Sun Arena.
While plenty of fans were there to cheer on the Sun, just as many were decked out in UConn gear in support of the former Husky as Tuesday marked Stewart’s first time playing in front of her Connecticut fans as a member of the Liberty.
The former Husky’s decision to sign with New York for the 2023 season was one of, if not the, biggest offseason moves in WNBA history. After eight years of playing in Seattle, including winning two WNBA titles with the Storm, the North Syracuse native was ready for a change of scenery — especially one closer to home. And while New York will always be her first home, Connecticut remains a close second after leading UConn to four-straight national championships.
“It’s great coming back to Connecticut,” Stewart said. “I think that you know, it’s a little different now that I’m on this coast again, a lot closer to all the people and all the things but still, it’s nice to receive a warm welcome from UConn fans and just be where a lot of memories were.”
Sun and UConn fans Katie and Jody Watts bought their tickets to Tuesday’s game back in January on the day the news of Stewart’s move to New York went public. They drove down from Boston for the game.
Charlie Clermont bought tickets for himself,
his daughter and her friend hours before Tuesday’s tipoff on a whim. They made the trip from New Hampshire to see Stewart and the Liberty.
Tuesday’s game was Kensington native Stanely Lizon’s first-ever Sun game. He got free tickets through Mohegan Sun Casino and wore a UConn T-shirt. He said he had a choice of four games for his tickets and he chose Tuesday specifically to see Stewart.
Despite beginning her WNBA career all the way across the country, the former Husky’s impact in New England has only grown.
“She was just the best college athlete ever,” Katie Watts said. “She’s got four national championships. How can you beat that?”
Stewart said being back on the East Coast, especially in New York, has been a “mix of confidence and comfort.” Confidence stemming from a historic start to her season (she set the New York franchise record with 45 points in her home debut on May 21) and comfort in knowing she’s close to home and her family. While she hasn’t had time to visit home so far this WNBA season, her grandparents have made it to a “handful” of New York’s home games.
“The start with the Liberty has been great,” the soon-to-be mother of two said. “Definitely exceeding expectations. I think that really loving and appreciating all my time in Seattle, but starting a new chapter in New York has been great, just on-court experience, but it’s also, like, being in Brooklyn, the city for my family, myself, Marta (Xargay) and Ruby (the couple’s daughter) are really enjoying it. … It’s really starting to feel like home.”
And adjusting to the Liberty system has been just as smooth since Stewart has experience playing overseas with both Jonquel Jones and Courtney Vandersloot — both also new key pieces to New York’s lineup.
“It’s incredible,” Vandersloot said. “Obviously, she’s one of the best players in the world. So she makes my job easier. She elevates my game, holds me to a high standard. … She’s special.”
Stewart, who was named a 2023 All-Star starter on Sunday, has thrived in Brooklyn. She ranks within the top five of points, rebounds, minutes and blocks per game.
On Tuesday, the Mohegan Sun Arena crowd roared when Stewart made her first two buckets of the night, welcoming the Husky back to Connecticut. Yet, the crowd remained loyal to the Sun and got even louder when Stewart was called for her first foul of the game about 30 seconds later. At halftime, Stewart led all players with 14.
In their third game without star center Brionna Jones (out with an Achilles injury), the Sun couldn’t find the size to contain Stewart. The former Husky was too quick, too long and too smart to fall into the Sun’s defensive traps. She found her way through the lane and made bucket after bucket, finishing 11 of 17 from the floor. Stewart even found success outside the perimeter going 2 of 2 from deep. Stewart finished with a game-high 24 points with nine rebounds, three assists and one steal.
New York (10-3) led by as much as 16 before Sun reserves DiJonai Carrington and fellow former Husky Olivia Nelson-Ododa came on to spark the Sun (12-4) in the second half. Nelson-Ododa finished with a careerhigh 14 points and was a perfect 6 of 6 from the floor. Carrington finished 3 of 3 from deep for a team and career high of 23 points.
A milestone kind of night
• Fellow former Husky and current Sun guard Tiffany Hayes also reached the 4,000-career point mark on Tuesday. Hayes, five years older than Stewart, reached the milestone in the 293rd game of her career.
• Sun star Alyssa Thomas extended her WNBA record to five career triple-doubles on Tuesday with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. The night marked her second-consecutive tripledouble in as many games and her third this season — all within the last seven days.