Angel Reese’s WNBA record double-doubles streak ends at 15 in Sky’s loss to Liberty

The rookie had a chance to extend the streak with seconds left, but she was swarmed on defense

Angel Reese’s WNBA record of consecutive double-doubles ended at 15 during the Chicago Sky’s 81–67 loss to the New York Liberty on Saturday.

The rookie grabbed 16 rebounds with eight points, frequently matched up against Kennedy Burke. New York was without leading scorer Breanna Stewart, who was sidelined with a right hamstring injury.

Liberty coach Sandy Brondello told reporters afterward that Stewart probably could have played, but felt “the smartest thing to give her a rest.”

Reese had an opportunity to reach 10 points with 17 seconds remaining in the game. But as she drove the baseline, four Liberty defenders quickly surrounded her in the paint.

Her ability to get double figures in points was limited late in the game by five personal fouls and a poor 3-for-13 shooting effort. Yet with eight points and 10 rebounds going into the fourth quarter, it appeared that Reese’s streak would continue.

WNBA

Sabrina Ionescu scored a game-high 28 points with six assists. Leonie Fiebich scored 13 points with six rebounds, Jonquel Jones tallied 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while Ivana Dojkic added 12 points for the Liberty, who improved their league-best record to 20–4.

Marina Mabrey scored 21 points with 12 rebounds and Michaela Onyenwere added 14 off the bench for the Sky, whose record dropped to 9–14. Chennedy Carter, Chicago’s leading scorer, played only 15 minutes and scored seven points.

When asked after the game if Carter was sick or injured, Sky coach Teresa Witherspoon said, “She was fine.”

Reese set a WNBA record last Sunday with her 13th consecutive double-double, getting 17 points and 14 rebounds in a loss to the Seattle Storm. The record was previously held by Candace Parker, who notched 12 straight double-doubles through the 2009 and 2010 seasons. She extended that record to 15 straight on Thursday against the same Liberty team.

Perhaps more impressively, Reese set her record as a 22-year-old rookie in the first 20 games of her WNBA career. Parker established her consecutive double-doubles streak in her eighth season at the age of 29.

Reese currently leads the WNBA in rebounds, averaging 11.8 per game.

The Sky hit the road to face the Las Vegas Aces (15–7) on Tuesday. That will be their second-to-last game before the All-Star Game and break for the Paris Olympics. The Liberty will host the Connecticut Sun (17–5) in a matchup of the WNBA’s top two teams.