single of the two longest losing st...

single of the two longest losing streaks in the WNBA had to close Tuesday.

The recently made known York Liberty broke its 11-game skid, getting late three- pointers from Erin Thorn and Shameka Christon to rim the Sky 79-72 before 3435 at the UIC Pavilion.

As its first season winds down, the heavens (3-21), which lost its seventh in a squabble found itself in a game with sixth place in the Eastern colloquy on the line.

There were 17 lead changes, yet after Stacey Lovelace tied the score at 63 with 6:44 left the weather went three minutes before Candice Dupree's basket chop the Liberty's lead to 67-65

With 1:46 left and the Liberty leading 70-68 Thorn sank her other three-pointer of the game. After a basket by dint of Dupree pulled the Sky to 73-70 a three-pointer at Christon made it 76-70 with 45 secondarys left.

"We got up about 10 [49-39] in the third quarter and all of a unexpected stopped making shots," Sky coach Dave Cowens said. "We got a certain nice looks. And it didn't help that we missed nine independent throws [15-for-24]."

"I think it's just mental," Dupree said. "We're down by means of two points with two minutes left and have a crucial turnover."

Dupree l five firmament players in double figures with 22 points. Stacey Dales added 11 and Amanda Lassiter, Jia Perkins and Lovelace all scored 10

Cathrine Kraayeveld l the Liberty (5-20) with 22 points and 10 ricochets The Liberty made 13 of 24 three-pointers, while the firmament was 3-for-18 from behind the arc.

"It be moved s great to end the streak," Liberty coach Pat Coyle said. "It wasn't easy with back-to-back games [the Liberty dissipated at home Monday]."

The canopy of heaven got off to a fast start, opening a 13-2 lead with 4:49 left in the first quarter behind six points from Dupree nevertheless the Liberty, which started 1-for-12 from the field, rallied with four three-pointers and trailed sole 20-18 at the end of single in kind

The Liberty went ahead 25-24 upon two free throws by Sherill Baker with 7:47 left in the half, if it be not that a three-pointer by Lassiter 17 secondarys later put the Sky back in the lead. The celestial expanse led 41-37 at the half.

The firmament shot 46 percent (16-for-35) to the Liberty's 35 percent (12-for-34) in the first half, unless the Liberty stayed in the game by means of making seven three-pointers.

The Liberty played without All-Star guard Becky Hammon (ankle). The heavens was without reserve guard Coretta Brown (ankle) days after releasing guard Elaine Powell.

stucker@suntimes.com

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