Oregon women's basketball all-time leading scorer Sabrina Ionescu started Sunday's game 6-9 from the floor and did not look back, pouring in 36 points and grabbing 11 rebounds to power the New York Liberty to 87-78 win over the Connecticut Sun.
With four players out with injuries Ionescu had to take over. She changed up her game by driving more inside for higher-percentage shots, 14-23 from the field but only taking three-point shots all night, making one of three. On the floor for 37 minutes, she also dished out four assists and had a steal.
“I mean, if you asked me if I scored 36 points on one made three, I’d probably say that’s not really what I had planned. But I think it’s just the ability to play at my own pace, be confident in what works, and every game just looks different," Ionescu said. Lucas Kaplan of SBNation called it "a true MVP Performance."
SABRINA IONESCU MASTERCLASS 🔥
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 3, 2025
36 points AND a place in history as the fastest WNBA player to reach 1,000 career assists since 2003 👏 pic.twitter.com/6OGOwvale4
The win snapped a five-game losing streak, the defending champions playing without Breanna Stewart, Nyara Sabally and Kennedy Burke, all out with injuries. Jonquel Jones took up some of the slack, contributing 21 points and 9 boards to the win.
On Monday the WNBA named Ionescu Eastern Conference Player of the Month for July, a period in which she led the team to a five-game win streak , while hitting for 28, 29, 30, 31 and 36 points. It her fifth time winning this particular award, second most in team history. She averaged 21.4 points, 6.6 assists, and 5.5 rebounds in July.
Sabrina Ionescu shot LIGHTS OUT in the month of July 🌟
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 4, 2025
She went off for 21.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 6.6 APG to propel the @nyliberty to a 6-4 record and to earn her first @Kia Eastern Conference Player of the Month honors this season!#KiaPOTM | #WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/MLJZOQJdAs