Rodgers & Charles Help Liberty Beat Wings 79-71
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NEW YORK (AP) - Sugar Rodgers scored a career-best 24 points and Tina Charles added 24 to lead New York to a 79-71 win over the Dallas Wings on Sunday in the home opener for the Liberty.
The Liberty (2-0) had the game's first 11 points, including the opening eight by Charles, who added 11 rebounds. They led by seven at the half before the Wings tied it at 43 early in the third quarter. Dallas (1-1) couldn't ever take the lead and New York scored 13 of the next 17 points to take command. Rodgers hit six of her eight 3-point tries.
Amanda Zahui B. scored 10 points for New York, which is fourth in the AP WNBA power poll. The Wings traded her to the Liberty on Wednesday for New York's first round pick next year.
Dallas, which was seventh in the poll, was without Skylar Diggins for the second straight game. She is still recovering from an ACL injury that forced her to miss most of last season.
Theresa Plaisance and Odyssey Sims had 14 points each to lead Dallas. Courtney Paris added 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Members of the cast of Hamilton sung the national anthem to the delight of the crowd which included NBA commissioner Adam Silver. He played a big role in helping get the WNBA started 20 years ago and was sitting with the league's new president Lisa Borders.
Also in the crowd was injured Liberty star Epiphanny Prince, who is recovering from an ACL tear suffered over the winter. New York hopes to have her back around the Olympic break. Sitting next to her was Swin Cash, who the Liberty cut earlier this week.
Dallas was without Glory Johnson, who is serving a seven-game suspension for her domestic violence arrest from 2015. Johnson sat out last season because she was pregnant.
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