Angel Reese’s WNBA-record consecutive double-double streak ended Saturday as the star rookie finished with eight points and 16 rebounds in the Chicago Sky’s 81-67 home loss to the top-ranked New York Liberty.
Reese finished 3 for 13 from the floor and was limited to just two points on 0 for 5 shooting in the second half. The former LSU standout had an opportunity to get up one final shot attempt on the Sky’s final possession of the game, but four Liberty players surrounded her, forcing her to kick the ball out to a teammate.
“[Winning] is what’s most important to me,” Reese said about the streak on Thursday. “I think I’ve done a great job, being able to be consistent and I’ve broken the record already. So [I want to] be able to just be me and do whatever my teammates need.”
Reese broke the WNBA record for most consecutive double-doubles with 13 last Sunday. She had extended the streak to 15 games before falling short in Saturday’s loss.
New York, who was without reigning MVP Breanna Stewart and starter Betnijah Laney-Hamilton on Saturday, became the first team to reach the 20-win mark with the victory. After the Liberty also beat the Sky in Brooklyn on Thursday, Chicago fell to 1-3 against New York on the season.
With a game-high 16 rebounds, including 11 in the second half, Reese upped her season total to 276 boards, good for the most of any WNBA player of all time through their first 23 games.
With quiet nights from Reese, Kamilla Cardoso and slasher Chennedy Carter, Chicago as a team was limited to 34 points in the paint, tying a season-worst mark. Asked about her team’s struggle to get going down low, Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon said her team needed to skip the ball and find open players, but also took issue with how infrequently her team got to the free throw line. Chicago only had four trips to the charity stripe the entire game compared to 14 from the Liberty.
“Our team plays really dang hard. This team plays freaking hard. Take a look, how many free throws we get,” Weatherspoon said. “We’re frickin’ aggressive too, aggressive to the rim. We play in the paint…. enough said.”
The Sky (9-14) face the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday in their final game before the All-Star Game (where Reese will suit up for Team WNBA) and ensuing Olympic break.
Reese and No. 1 pick Caitlin Clark, both All-Stars, are considered the front-runners in the 2024 Rookie of the Year race.
“I don’t think about the Rookie of the Year stuff,” Reese said Thursday. “Obviously I’m just here to win. I want to make it to the playoffs, go as far as we can. Chicago deserves something big. Being able to come back to Chicago where Candace Parker played and I’m breaking records, I don’t want to be named unless I’m a winner, and being able to bring that championship back home in Chicago is something I’m looking forward to.”
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