EUGENE, Ore. — Sabrina Ionescu scored 25 points on 8-of-13 shooting as the New York Liberty beat the Toyota Antelopes 84-61 in their preseason finale.
Strong Performances
The Liberty’s coach, Sandy Brondello, had planned to limit Ionescu’s playing time but wanted more. The crowd at Matthew Knight Arena responded with a memorable farewell.
Ionescu was not alone in her strong performance:
- Breanna Stewart made her preseason debut, scoring 16 points on seven shots in just under half of the game’s length (15 minutes).
Stewart’s performance is a positive sign for the team heading into their title defense this weekend against the Las Vegas Aces. The Liberty have improved significantly since last week’s loss to the Connecticut Sun and are looking to build on that momentum.
The win marked a successful end to the preseason for the Liberty and sets them up well for their upcoming games. With a strong roster and solid performances from key players like Ionescu and Stewart, they are confident heading into their title defense.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert Announces Departure
In related news, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced that she will be stepping down as commissioner after next season. Engelbert has been instrumental in growing the league over her five-year tenure but has decided it is time for new leadership.
- Engelbert will remain involved with basketball through various roles outside of her current position as commissioner of women’s professional sports at IMG Academy.
- Her departure marks an important milestone for women’s basketball and highlights the progress made by female athletes over recent years.
As we look ahead to another exciting season of WNBA action, fans can expect more thrilling matchups between top teams like the New York Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces. With talented players like Sabrina Ionescu leading the charge, there is no shortage of excitement surrounding this year’s competition.
College Basketball Updates
In other news from around college basketball:
- Noelle Quinn resigned as head coach at Washington after three seasons due to personal reasons.
- South Carolina guard Aliyah Boston has entered her name into the NBA draft pool.
- UConn forward Azzi Fudd will undergo surgery on her left knee.
- Oregon State forward Taya Corosdale is transferring out after one season.
- Arizona State guard Jaddan Simmons is entering the transfer portal.
- Louisville guard Hailey Van Lith suffered a broken left hand during practice.
- Texas Tech forward Avery Burton suffered a broken right hand during practice.
- Duke freshman center Hannah Hidalgo underwent arthroscopic surgery on her right knee.
These developments highlight some of the key storylines emerging across college hoops ahead of next month’s NCAA tournament tipoff.
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