NEW YORK LIBERTY (5-11) vs. SEATTLE STORM (12-5)
Tuesday, July 3 • White Plains, NY (Westchester County Center)
7:00 PM (ET) • TV: League Pass, MSG+
QUICK HITS
Tina Charles’ 20.1 points per game rank fourth in the league (as of 7/2).
Charles’ 6.8 rebounds per game are tied for 11th in the league (as of 7/2).
Kia Nurse’s is fifth among rookies with 9.9 points per game (as of 7/2).
Brittany Boyd’s 4.7 assists per contest slot sixth in the WNBA (as of 7/2).
Bria Hartley is 16th in the league with 3.7 assists per game (as of 7/2).
Storm center Mercedes Russell was drafted by the Liberty in the second round of 2018 WNBA draft, and appeared in two games for New York this season.
The contest will be the first matchup between the two teams this season. The Liberty have won two in row dating back to 2017.
Tina Charles averaged 26.0 points and 11.7 rebounds per game in three matchups against the Storm last season.
Seattle’s Breanna Stewart averaged 21.0 points and 12.0 rebounds per game in three meetings with the Liberty in 2017.
The Liberty and Storm both rank top-four in the league in assists per game (as of 7/2).
New York is just 1-7 against Western Conference foes this season.
KEY MATCHUP
Tina Charles and Breanna Stewart are on the short list for MVP honors this season, as both rank near the top of the league in points and rebounds per game. The three matchups between the two teams last season were shaped by the performances of the former UConn stars, as both players averaged 20-point double-doubles in the head-to-head meetings.
LAST MEETING
On July 6, 2017, Tina Charles scored a team-high 29 points to lead the Liberty to a 79-70 victory over the Storm in Seattle.
Charles grabbed 12 boards as well, becoming the become the franchise rebounding leader in the process.
Kia Vaughn also notched a double-double for the Liberty, finishing with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Breanna Stewart led the Storm with 20 points and 14 rebounds.
FLAIR FOR THE DRAMATIC
New York’s thrilling victory over Chicago on Sunday was their second overtime victory in as many games this season, with their first such win coming against Indiana (5/2). The Liberty have certainly had their share of nail-biting finishes this year; six of their games have been settled by four points or less, and they are 2-4 in those contests.
All-AROUND OFFENSE
In back-to-back matchups against the Sky over the weekend, the Liberty offense put up 98.0 points per game, nearly 20 points more than their season average. The scoring came from a multitude of contributors— in both contests, every Liberty player who saw the floor registered a made field goal, and the team averaged 23.5 assists per game.
VETERAN CONTRIBUTIONS
As the Liberty look to right the ship after a tough couple of weeks, Kia Vaughn has emerged as a valuable and steady option at center. Over her past three appearances, the 10th-year pro is averaging 12.3 points and 7.0 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per game while shooting 73.4 percent from the field. In Sunday’s matchup against the Sky, she picked up her first double-double of the season, finishing with 12 points and 11 boards.