New York pulled away late to score an 89-80 win over Connecticut in Monday night's Liberty vs Sun WNBA showdown at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Connecticut kept the game close for most of the night, but New York's discipline at the free-throw line proved to be the difference in a tightly contested WNBA Commissioner's Cup clash.
Edwards, Nelson-Ododa Lead Connecticut's Frontcourt
Aaliyah Edwards and Olivia Nelson-Ododa carried the Sun's offense in the paint, combining for 30 points with 15 apiece.
Nelson-Ododa was perfect from the field, going 6-for-6 while adding a team-high eight rebounds. Edwards, meanwhile, matched that scoring output by attacking the rim and converting baseline floaters to keep the Liberty's defense off balance.
In the backcourt, Saniya Rivers filled the stat sheet with 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Despite earning a rare backcourt violation, the 6-foot-1 guard also added two blocks, showing versatility on both ends.
Connecticut shot 41.7% in the first half, but foul trouble caught up to the Sun after the break. Heavy whistles ended up putting New York in the bonus early in the third quarter.
The Liberty then converted at the charity stripe with Breanna Stewart going 9-for-9. The power forward's game-high 28 points helped the team pull away just enough to seal the win.
Where to Watch WNBA Commissioner's Cup Games This Week
Connecticut next faces the Toronto Tempo on Wednesday at 7 PM ET (WNBA League Pass). Later, the Liberty visit the Atlanta Dream on Thursday at 7:30 PM ET (WNBA League Pass).
