The 2017 WNBA season opened on Saturday afternoon as the New York Liberty hosted the San Antonio Stars. In this game, some fans were hoping to see the debut of the newest No. 1 WNBA Draft pick, Kelsey Plum. Unfortunately, a sprained ankle injury kept the talented rookie off the court for the opener. While her teammate (Monique Currie), played well, it wasn't enough, as Tina Charles, Brittany Body, and the Liberty got the win, 73-64. Here's a look at how New York was able to get this big win over San Antonio to start off the season at 1-0.
How the Liberty won
Today's victory by the New York Liberty saw five of their players finish in double-digits. Tina Charles led all Liberty players with 12 points and seven rebounds, while Epiphany Prince added 11 points, along with three rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Shavonte Zellous, Brittany Boyd, and Cierra Burdock each finished with 10 points in the win. As a team, NY shot 26-for-61 or 42.6 percent, while also out-rebounding their opponents 36-33.
On the losing side of things, the Stars got 23 points from Monique Currie in about 32 minutes of game time. Currie also had five rebounds in the effort. Teammate Isabelle Harrison shot 6-for-14 from the floor and had 15 points to go with five rebounds.
The Stars shot just 38.3 percent from the floor for the game, going 23-of-60. In addition, they hit just one of five three-point shots, which saw them finish at a dismal rate of just 20 percent from downtown.
The Liberty controlled this game from the start, as they finished the first quarter up 21-13, and were leading 37-28 at the half.
They outscored New York by another eight points in the third quarter. In the fourth, San Antonio managed to outscore the home team 25-17, but by then it was too late, as they couldn't overcome the deficit.
What's up next
New York is off to a great start in their 2017 campaign with a 1-0 record after the first day. They now get plenty of rest before they play again.
That game comes on Thursday, May 18th when they host the Minnesota Lynx. Game time is set for 7 p.m. Eastern Time from Madison Square Garden with ESPN2 carrying live television coverage.
The San Antonio Stars begin their 2017 WNBA season with a 0-1 record but can bounce back in five days. They will take on the Phoenix Mercury at home. Game time is 8 p.m. Eastern Time, or 7 p.m. Central Time from AT&T Center. This game will stream live exclusively on Twitter on Friday, May 19th.
