Liberty set WNBA record with scorching outside shooting performance in blowout win over Sky

The defending champion New York Liberty have picked up right where they left off. On Thursday night, they continued their undefeated start to the season with a historic 3-point shooting performance in a 99-74 win over the Chicago Sky. 

Entering Thursday, the WNBA record for most 3s in a game was 18, which had been done six times, most recently by the Liberty themselves last season. Against the Sky, they one-upped themselves and made 19 3s to set the league’s new single-game record. 

The Liberty got off to a strong start, knocking down 5 of 10 attempts from behind the arc in the first quarter, and never let up. They made at least five 3s in three of the four quarters. Nearly the entire team got involved in the act as well, with eight different players hitting at least one triple. 

The record-setting 3 came with 1:34 remaining when Kennedy Burke found herself open at the top of the key and let it fly. Burke, who finished 4 of 4 from downtown in a strong 17-point outing off the bench, said she was unaware that the team was chasing a record. 

“I really didn’t [know],” Burke said. “I just got the ball and shot it because I was wide open. That’s my role on the team, just to shoot when I’m open.”

The Liberty are off to a 2-0 start to the season with both wins coming by double digits. Up next is a road trip to face the Indiana Fever. The Liberty know that keeping their perfect start going won’t be easy in what is sure to be a raucous environment. 

Burke and her teammates hope they’ll be able to carry their hot shooting with them to Indianapolis. 

“It builds momentum to the next game, you know,” Burke said. “We got a tough matchup coming up and we just have to stay prepared, offensively and defensively. I feel like we’re ready for that.”

The Liberty and Fever will square off on CBS on Saturday, with tip off set for 1 p.m. ET.