The Chicago Sky defeated the New York Liberty handily in their second preseason game of 2024, winning 101-53 in front of a group of season ticket holders and evening their preseason record at 1-1.
For many Sky fans, it was the first look at a team that’s entering a new era—one that’s filled with both uncertainty and excitement. The franchise has gone from a monumentally disappointing free agency period to a sudden explosion of interest in a matter of months, thanks in large part to adding collegiate stars Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese in the 2024 WNBA Draft. And though Tuesday’s preseason blowout won’t count for anything in the standings, it will go a long way in keeping the hype for the new-look Sky going strong.
Despite attendance being limited to season ticket holders only, the energy in Wintrust Arena was palpable, and the crowd had plenty to cheer for from the start. Chicago opened the game on a 12-0 run and never looked back, playing with an intensity more typical of a do-or-die playoff game than a preseason exhibition.
The Sky were led in scoring by two familiar faces in Marina Mabrey (20 points) and Dana Evans (19 points), though their newcomers had plenty to contribute as well. Reese recorded 13 points, five rebounds and two steals in 19 minutes of play, while guards Chennedy Carter (11 points and two steals) and Lindsay Allen (six points and five assists) played well off the bench.
As a team, the Sky thoroughly outworked the Liberty, forcing 24 New York turnovers, finishing with 30 fast break points and winning the rebounding battle 41-32. Chicago also shot the ball significantly better, recording a 52.7 percent field goal percentage (44 percent on 3-pointers) to New York’s 31.7 percent.
The Sky and Liberty are certainly in two different places in their respective franchise trajectories. Chicago treated the game as a high-profile internal evaluation, with first-year head coach Teresa Weatherspoon searching for lineups that work best as she continues to instill the type of culture she wants her team to embody. New York played more conservatively, opting to keep the playing time of its bigger names to a minimum and let players…
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