Jonquel Jones scores a career-high 34, Liberty top defending champs Aces for 8th straight win

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jonquel Jones scored a career-high 34 points, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu each had a double-double and the New York Liberty pulled away in the second half to beat the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces 90-82 on Saturday.

Ionescu finished with 15 points and 12 assists and Stewart added 14 points and 12 rebounds for New York (12-2). Betnijah Laney-Hamilton had 12 points and seven rebounds.

New York won its eighth straight game, while Las Vegas (6-6) has lost four of its last five games. Jones finished 12 of 16 from the field, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range.

Kelsey Plum hit a floater that gave the Aces a 53-47 lead with 6:33 left in the third quarter. They then went scoreless for nearly five minutes. New York responded with a 14-0 run, including six points from Jones, to take the lead for good.

Kate Martin hit a 3-pointer to break the Las Vegas scoring drought with 1:47 left in the period, and A'ja Wilson followed with a bucket in the lane. That cut the deficit to 61-58 but the Aces got no closer.

Plum led Las Vegas with 22 points and Wilson finished with 21 points and nine rebounds. Alysha Clark added 13 points, Jackie Young had 10 points and six assists and Kiah Stokes grabbed 12 rebounds.

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The Associated Press