| GAME |
WHAT HAPPENED? |
|
May 20
|
LET IT RAIN: Chicago 71, New York
83
Despite a slow start, New
York took Chicago by storm on Opening Day … The Liberty faced a
double-digit deficit in the third quarter, but roared back behind the play
of its veterans … In addition to guard Erin Thorn’s
career-high 28 points, three Liberty players posted double figures …
Shameka Christon scored 14 points, Loree
Moore had 12 and Cathrine Kraayeveld
added 10 … The Sky out-scored the Liberty in the paint 26-20 … As a
team, New York was nearly perfect from the charity stripe, shooting 18 for
20 … Led by Thorn’s career-best seven three-pointers, the Liberty
connected on 13 three-pointers, matching a franchise record … Despite a
20-point, 11-rebound effort from Chicago’s Monique
Currie
, the
Liberty went on a 11-0 run in the fourth quarter and sealed its first
victory of the 2007 WNBA season.
|
|
June 3
|
STEPPING UP: Phoenix 82, New York 83
The Mercury led the Liberty throughout the
first half, by as many as 12 points, behind the play of Diana
Taurasi and Penny Taylor, with 13 points a piece
… Heading into halftime, New York’s Loree Moore led all
scorers with 14 points, five boards and two assists … The Liberty
capitalized on the Mercury’s foul trouble in the third quarter, connecting
on seven of 10 baskets from the charity stripe … With the Liberty trailing
by five half way through the final quarter, Erin Thorn
and Shameka Christon hit back-to-back 3-pointers to give
New York a 74-73 lead with 4:22 remaining … Cappie
Pondexter nailed a three-pointer to put Phoenix up 80-78 with
1:40 to go, but in the next play New York’s Cathrine
Kraayeveld evened the score with a lay-up … Pondexter broke the
tie with a lay-up and 10.3 seconds remaining … Liberty rookie
Jessica Davenport
stepped into a veteran role to convert a go-ahead
three-point play over the Mercury to help New York remain unbeaten … Moore
finished with a game/career-high 22 points, while Davenport added a career-high
15.
|
July 6
|
SNAP THE STREAK: New York 82,
Detroit 81 (OT)
New York started the game 0-6, but went 5-8 from the
field to finish the quarter with a total of 15 points led by Loree
Moore with seven … In the second quarter, Detroit answered a New
York 7-2 run, with a 9-2 run of their own to earn their largest lead of
the game at eight … Back to back three pointers by Moore and
Shameka Christon helped New York close to within five
just before the end of the half … Cheryl Ford led all
scorers with 12 points and also pulled down a first half high six rebounds
… Moore led the Liberty with ten first half points and two
assists … In the third quarter, Erin Thorn hit a three
pointer to tie the game at 37-37 with her first points since returning
from a sprained ankle that kept her sidelined for four games … Moore
earned her fourth assist of the night on
Janel McCarville’s made basket that cut the Shock
lead to one, entering the final period with the score 49-48 … Christon’s
three pointer at the 8:44 mark gave New York its first lead since late in
the first quarter when the score was 15-13 … After spending much of the
first half on the bench due to foul trouble, Kraayeveld scored 12 points
in the fourth quarter … Deanna Nolan hit a three
pointer with 4.2 second remaining in regulation to send the game into
overtime … New York scored the first six points of overtime and held
on for the win … McCarville recorded her first career double-double with
career highs in points with 18 and rebounds with 12 … Moore finished with
a career high 9 assists … Ford led all scorers with 22 points and pulled
down a game-high 18 rebounds … The Liberty snapped a nine-game losing
streak in Detroit. |
|
July 8
 |
READY FOR MORE: Sacramento 61, New York 71
After taking down the best
team in the Eastern Conference just two days prior, the
Liberty hosted the best in the Western Conference at home
... New York opened the game with a season-high 32-point first quarter
performance and never looked back … The Liberty’s 11 for 14 shooting from
the field contributed to a 16-0 run … The hosts led by as many as 23
in the second quarter and headed into the half with a 48-28 lead over the
Monarchs, despite 11 first-half points from Rebekkah
Brunson… The 48 points were four off the franchise record of 52
set against the Phoenix Mercury on June 21, 2001 ... Erin
Thorn and Shameka Christon poured in 11 and 10
points respectively … Sacramento opened the fourth quarter with a 12-3 run
to pull within nine points, however New York pushed the tempo to maintain
its lead and secure the victory … Brunson led all scorers with 18 points
and nine rebounds … The Liberty finished with four players in double
figures, led by Thorn and Cathrine Kraayeveld
with 13 points
each.
|
|
August 12
|
AT THE BUZZER: Detroit 84, New York 85
The
Liberty rallied from a 13-point third quarter deficit and captured the
victory with a (memorable) buzzer-beating running jumper from Erin
Thorn to keep its post-season hopes alive ... New York poured in
32 first quarter points to lead Detroit by four … The Shock received four
straight baskets from reserve forward Plenette Pierson in
the final two minutes of the second period to bring the score to a tie at
49 … Coming out of the half, Detroit used a 19-2 run to take a 64-51 lead
… To start the fourth, the Liberty went on its own run (12-2) to pull
within three points … Janel McCarville scored four
straight points to pull New York to 72-70 … Deanna Nolan
extended the lead to five after nailing a trey, however the Liberty
brought it back with a free throw from Ashley Battle and
lay-up from Tiffany Jackson … Loree Moore hit a
three of her own and the Liberty were within one with just over five
minutes to play … Nolan answered with another three and a jumper to
push Detroit's lead to six … After Nolan hit another jumper with 2:13
left, Battle's trey 20 seconds later pulled the Liberty to 84-81 …
Cathrine Kraayeveld
connected
on a lay-up with 41.9 seconds to go, to pull New York within one … On
the next play, the Liberty grabbed the rebound off of Nolan’s missed jumper
in the lane, leaving 25 seconds on the game clock … New York
then retained possession three times when the ball went out of bounds,
including the final time with 3.3 seconds left … Nolan led all scorers with 19
points … Jackson led the Liberty with 16 points and six rebounds, and five
other players finished in double figures: McCarville (14), Thorn (11),
Battle (11) and Moore (11).
|
|
August
19
|
IT'S NOT OVER: Chicago 52, New
York 58
The Liberty
clinched the last Playoff berth in the Eastern Conference with its
come from behind win over the Sky … New York held Chicago to just
20-percent shooting from the field in the first-half … Each team collected
20 boards … Cathrine Kraayeveld netted eight points and
grabbed five boards to give the Liberty a 28-21 lead heading into the
break … The Sky got off to a roaring start in the second half, opening the
third quarter with a 10-0 run and took a three-point lead with seven
minutes remaining … Jia Perkins and Armintie
Price had consecutive layups to push the Sky's advantage to 45-36
with 36 seconds … Ashley Battle's driving layup with 20
seconds left in the third started an 8-0 run for New York, which pulled
within one on Janel McCarville's basket with 7:41 to go
in the game … After two missed free throws by Candice
Dupree, Shameka Christon nailed a trey to give
the Liberty a 49-47 lead … Chicago took a one-point lead with three
minutes left after a free throw and lay-up from Dominique Canty … In the
next possession, McCarville gave the Liberty its lead back with a layup,
while Christon hit a turnaround jumper with 1:49 left … McCarville then
stole the ball from Brooke Wyckoff on the other end made
a jumper to push the lead to 55-50 … Dominique Canty
’s layup
with 40 seconds remaining brought the Sky within three, but Christon hit another three-pointer to
seal the win … Canty finished with 14 for Chicago,
while Christon led the way with 15 ... The Liberty earned its eighth
post-season campaign in its 11-year
history.
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