By: J.J. Pavlick | Brooklyn, NY | May 8, 2026 |
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Brianna Stewart made history in the Big Apple, joining the 6k club. As the New York Liberty didn’t just open their season Friday night, they announced themselves loudly, violently, and without apology. In front of a roaring Barclays Center crowd of 17,615, the Liberty dismantled the Connecticut Sun 106–75 in a wire-to-wire demolition that felt less like a basketball game and more like a coronation.
New York led for 97 percent of the night, opened with a 36–13 first‑quarter haymaker, and never once allowed Connecticut a lead. By halftime, the Liberty were up 29. By the fourth quarter, the only suspense left was whether the Sun would make it back to the team bus with their dignity intact.
And in the middle of the storm, Breanna Stewart made history, becoming the newest member of the 6,000‑point club, one of the fastest players in WNBA history to reach the milestone. The Barclays scoreboard flashed the announcement late in the second quarter with just under 6 minutes till halftime, and the arena erupted like she’d just hit a game‑winner.
Stewart finished with 31 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 10‑for‑17 from the field and 11‑for‑12 at the line. After the game, she said the Liberty’s dominance was no accident. “We’re playing high‑level basketball, but we haven’t peaked,” Stewart said. “Setting the tone like this in Brooklyn shows how much work we put in during camp.”
A First Quarter That Felt Like a Statement
The Liberty didn’t ease into anything. They detonated.
Marine Johannes splashed threes from the boroughs; Julie Vanloo carved up the Sun defense with surgical precision, and New York’s pace turned Connecticut’s transition defense into a rumor. The Liberty shot 65 percent in the opening frame, forced six turnovers, and ran the Sun out of the gym before the seats were even warm.
By the time the horn sounded, New York led 36–13 and Connecticut looked like a team still searching for the exit ramp off the Cross Bronx.
Connecticut Never Recovered — And Never Led
The Sun, playing their final season before relocating to Houston, never found oxygen. They shot 39 percent, went 4‑for‑22 from deep, and were outscored 19–1 in fast‑break points. Diamond Miller led Connecticut with 16 points but needed 16 shots to get there. Brittney Griner added 15, but the Sun never cut the deficit below 20 after halftime.
Mandatory Credit: Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images
Mandatory Credit: Ishika Samant/Getty Images.
New York’s defense was relentless—nine steals, five blocks, and a swarm of pressure that forced Connecticut into 17 turnovers and constant desperation heaves.
Vanloo Shines, Johannes Ignites, Bench Dominates
Vanloo didn’t just fill in for Ionescu — she thrived, finishing with 11 assists and 11 points in 22 minutes. Afterward, she admitted the moment carried extra weight. “Knowing my mom was awake in Belgium at 2:30 a.m. watching this… it made every bucket feel special,” Vanloo said. “This team makes it easy to fit in.”
Marine Johannes splashed five threes, including a pair of backbreaking step-backs that sent the crowd into orbit. The Liberty bench added 33 points, outscoring Connecticut’s reserves and turning the game into a track meet the Sun simply couldn’t survive.
Brondello Praises Chemistry — Even Without Ionescu
Mandatory Credit: Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images
Despite the blowout, the Liberty were missing one of their biggest stars. Sabrina Ionescu remained sidelined with a preseason ankle injury and is listed as week-to-week, currently in a “rehab and recovery” phase.
“We’re erring on the side of caution,” Brondello said. “Our chemistry is ahead of schedule. Even without Sabrina, the flow was there. 106 points is great, but I’m more proud of the defensive effort in the second half.”
New York Liberty Head Coach Sandy Brondello
Stewart’s Milestone Moment
When Stewart crossed the 6,000‑point threshold, the arena paused—then exploded. It was a moment worthy of the stage: the league’s premier scorer hitting a historic milestone in the league’s biggest market, in a blowout that felt like a message to the rest of the WNBA.
Stewart now sits among the elite scorers in league history, and she did it in classic Stewart fashion — efficiently, ruthlessly, and without ever breaking stride.
Final Numbers Tell the Story
Team Stats
- FG%: NY 52%, CON 39%
- 3PT%: NY 32%, CON 18%
- FT%: NY 84%, CON 47%
- Rebounds: NY 37, CON 32
- Fast‑break points: NY 19, CON 1
- Points in paint: NY 42, CON 32
- Largest lead: NY +33
Leaders
- NY — Breanna Stewart: 31 pts, 10 reb, joins 6,000‑point club
- NY — Julie Vanloo: 11 ast
- NY — Marine Johannes: 5 threes
- CON — Diamond Miller: 16 pts
- CON — Brittney Griner: 15 pts
- CON — Saniya Rivers: 6 ast
Mandatory Credit: Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images.
The Big Picture
The Liberty didn’t just win—they dominated, humiliated, and announced themselves as the team to beat in the East. Connecticut, meanwhile, looked like a franchise in transition—and not the good kind.
And that’s the story from Barclays Center, where the Liberty didn’t just open the season — they set the league on notice. Stewart hit 6K, Vanloo lit up Brooklyn, and New York played like a team ready to own the East from wire to wire.
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