BROOKLYN, NY — The celebration extended far beyond basketball Tuesday night in Brooklyn as the New York Liberty hosted Women’s Empowerment Night. While the Dallas Wings spoiled the evening with an 88-77 victory, the atmosphere served as a reminder of why the WNBA continues to be one of the most influential leagues in professional sports.
Young girls packed the Barclays Center wearing Liberty & Wings jerseys, watching some of the game’s biggest & rising stars compete while also seeing women celebrated as athletes, leaders and role models.
On the court, in front of a sellout crowd of 17,532 fans, Dallas seized control of the night with a dominant second quarter that ultimately decided the game. After New York carried a 20-18 lead into the second quarter, the Wings exploded on a 29-11 run before halftime, turning a seven-point deficit into a commanding 47-31 advantage and they never looked back. The Wings created offense through fast-break opportunities, second-chance points, and unselfish ball movement that disrupted the Liberty’s rhythm and game plan, forcing them to take difficult shots.
Jessica Shepard led the way with one of the best performances of her career, finishing with 22 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists for a triple-double—her third of the season.
Awak Kuier added 10 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, while Paige Bueckers—coming off a WNBA Rookie of the Year winning campaign—contributed 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Coming out of the break, New York (13-9) answered after halftime by turning up the defensive pressure and playing with noticeably more urgency. The Liberty aggressively trapped pick-and-rolls and briefly swung momentum behind Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu. Jones connected on a turnaround jumper and a three-pointer, while Ionescu finally found her rhythm after a scoreless first half to trim the deficit to single digits.
The comeback, however, stalled as Dallas (14-8) responded with timely baskets and continued to capitalize on New York’s offensive inconsistencies and turnovers. The Liberty also lost forward Rebecca Allen after she suffered a bloody nose following contact that did not result in a foul, while head coach Chris DeMarco was assessed a technical foul during a frustrating stretch in the second half.
Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco was assessed a technical foul in Tuesday’s loss to the Wings during the second half – Image Credit: New York Liberty
Stewart finished with a game-high 29 points and nine rebounds, while Jones posted 17 points and 12 rebounds. Ionescu added 14 points and five assists despite opening 0-for-7 from the field.
“We got to get stops,” Jones said afterward. “They do a really good job of mucking things up, but I think we can do a better job of executing.”
DeMarco pointed to New York’s second-quarter execution as the difference, stating, “Just lack of execution. We gave up a lot of offensive rebounds, and those are times you can build the lead and dictate the game. I was really happy with the way we competed in the third quarter.”
Despite the loss to drop to 13-9 on the year, Jones received special news after the game when she was named a reserve for the 2026 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game.
On Tuesday, Jonquel Jones was selected as a reserve for the WNBA’s 2026 All-Star Game which is set to take place later this month in Chicago, Illinois – Image Credit: WNBA
“It means a lot,” Jones said. “Coming back from surgery and playing at an All-Star level feels really good. It feels good to represent the Liberty.”
Stewart praised her teammate’s recognition, saying “JJ deserves it every year. Sometimes people take what she does for granted. She’s huge to what we do here in New York.”
The Liberty will look to build on their second-half adjustments as they continue the season, while Women’s Empowerment Night once again underscored the WNBA’s lasting impact as a place where women and girls can see themselves celebrated, inspired and empowered both on and off the court.
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