Stewart, Liberty continue perfect start to season with rout of Valkyries
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NEW YORK -- — Breanna Stewart scored 24 points, Jonquel Jones added 13 points, 10 rebounds and five assists and the New York Liberty never trailed in a 95-67 win over the Golden State Valkyries on Tuesday night.
The defending WNBA champion, New York (4-0) has won eight consecutive regular-season games.
Kayla Thornton, who was selected by the Valkyries in December’s expansion draft, and Veronica Burton scored 13 points apiece to lead Golden State and Temi Fagbenle added 11. Thornton spent the last two seasons with the Liberty.
Marine Johannes scored 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting from 3-point range for the Liberty. Natasha Cloud had 10 of New York's season-high 30 assists.
Stewart scored the Liberty's first nine points and hit one of New York's four 3-pointers before the three-time WNBA champion and two-time league MVP made a pullup jumper with 2:59 left in the first quarter that gave the Liberty a 22-3 lead.
The Valkyries shot just 2 of 15 from the field in their lowest-scoring first quarter of the season and went into the second trailing 27-10.
Johannes made four 3s in the second quarter and New York led 48-29 at halftime.
New York made 37 of 74 from the field, hit 14 3-pointers and finished with 14 steals. The Liberty scored 32 points off Golden State turnovers.