Liz Cambage, pictured on the sidelines with teammate Theresa Plaisance earlier this season,scored 53 points to set a WNBA record for most points in a single game today against the New York Liberty. (Tammye Nash/DallasVoice)
ALERT: The WNBA will announce the 2018 All Stars roster tonight!
Dallas Wings center Liz Cambage set a couple of new WNBA records today while leading the Wings to victory over the New York Liberty.
Cambage, the 6-foot, 8-inch Australian, went 17-for-22 for 53 points — that sets a new record for most points in a single game and a new record for made field goals in a single game. To put the icing on her record-breaking cake, she turned in her ninth double-double of the season, pulling down 10 rebounds, then added five blocks just for good measure.
The win puts the Wings at 13-9 on the season, in fourth place behind the Seattle Storm at 16-6, the Phoenix Mercury at 15-8 and the Los Angeles Sparks at 14-9.
The Wings are on a roll with an 8-2 record in July; they opened the month with a narrow, 4-point loss to Minnesota before going on a five game winning streak that included big wins over both the Mercury (101-72) and the Sparks (92-77).
They Wings continue their two-game home stretch at College Park Center Thursday, July 19, for a 7 p.m. tip-off against the Washington Mystics. Visit wings.wnba.com to get tickets and help the teams celebrate the theme “We Rise Together: Inspiring Women.”
Cambage’s record-setting game
Cambage scored 11 of the first 13 points for the Wings today in New York to give them a 13-6 lead midway through the opening quarter. The Wings extended their lead with a 10-2 run to end the first quarter up 24-14.
Cambage continued to romp in the second quarter, scoring 15 to help give Dallas a 57-44 lead at the half. Her 28 first-half points are a career high for Cambage, who had six rebounds in the opening half.
Also in the first half, Allisha Gray scored 8 points, and Kayla Thornton added 7 points.
New York came roaring back in the third, going on a 23-7 run to take the lead for the first time in the game. Wings Head Coach Fred Williams was tossed out after receiving two technical fouls, but Dallas still fought back to go into the last quarter with a tenuous 74-73.
But the final period was all Dallas. Cambage put 20 more on the scoreboard to lead Dallas to the 104-87 final score.
Glory Johnson recorded 13 points and 7 rebounds, while Gray scored 13 points and 6 assists total. Thornton also scored in double figures with 10 points and 6 assists. Skylar Diggins-Smith scored 9 points and added a game-high 7 assists.
The Wings scored 100-plus points for the fifth time this season, extending the franchise record.
The Liberty were led off the bench by Kia Nurse, who recorded 25 points on 7-for-11 from the field.
