Courtney Vandersloot scores two of her season-high 23 points as the Liberty complete a two-game sweep in Los Angeles Tuesday night. Photo by Brandon Todd/New York Liberty
Courtney Vandersloot saved her best for last, and so did the New York Liberty.
The future Hall of Fame point guard scored 20 of her season-high 23 points in the second half Tuesday night as the Eastern Conference-leading Liberty completed a two-game sweep in Los Angeles with a 76-69 victory over the Sparks in front of 6,498 fans at crypto.com Arena.
Vandersloot, the WNBA’s all-time leader in assists, also had seven rebounds, six helpers, a steal and a blocked shot in 31 scintillating minutes. The 5-foot-8 dynamo drilled 9-of-14 shots, including a season-high four 3-pointers.
“My teammates were finding me. I was open for catch-and-shoot 3s. I was just knocking them down tonight,” said Vandersloot, who had eight points and nine assists in Sunday’s 87-79 win over L.A.
Trailing 67-66 with just under three minutes left in this one following a pair of free throws by Los Angeles’ Nneka Ogwumike, the Liberty (20-6) went to work.
Betnijah Laney tied the contest on a free throw before her basket with 1:51 remaining put New York in front to stay, 69-67.
Vandersloot came through with a finger roll off an offensive rebound by reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu drained a pair of free throws.
“It only took one stop or one score for us to go ahead and go ahead for good,” said Stewart, who put up her 13th double-double of the year with 16 points and 12 boards.
Ogwumike’s ensuing layup shaved the deficit to four before Vandersloot sank one from the line and Ionescu hit another pair from the charity stripe to complete a game-ending 10-2 run for the Liberty, who have won six of their last seven contests.
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