Liz Cambage scores 53 to break WNBA record

DALLAS – Elizabeth Cambage scored 53 points to set a WNBA record Tuesday, leading the Dallas Wings to a 104-87 victory over the New York Liberty.

The 6-8 Australian reached 50 points on a three-point play with 2:19 left and broke Riquna Williams' league single-game record of 51 points, set Sept. 8, 2013, when she was playing for the old Tulsa Shock, on an open three-pointer from the top of the key.

"It's pretty big," Cambage said. "I've had big numbers in China, I've had big numbers in Australia, and I've heard a lot of people say I could never have big numbers here in the WNBA. So I guess this game is for y'all."

Cambage was 17-for-22 from the field with 10 rebounds and five blocks for her ninth double-double of the season. She made 15 of 16 free throws and outscored the Liberty's starting lineup by 10 points.

"I had a pretty emotional week last week," Cambage said. "I think I let it all out after the Seattle game and I just wanted to start a new day, a new game."

Cambage was called for a late technical in visiting Dallas' 91-84 loss to the Storm last Saturday with her team trailing by one point.

Glory Johnson and Allisha Gray each added 13 points for Dallas (13-9), which won its first home game against New York since 2016.

"I told our team out of halftime the first four minutes are important for us," Williams said. "New York jumped to it first and made some big plays and we didn't take care of the ball."

New York took its first lead, 70-69, on the possession after the ejection, but Dallas opened the fourth quarter on a 12-3 run and cruised from there.

The game shifted quickly from the Wings trying to stay ahead to everyone trying to feed Cambage the ball so she could break the record. She had 20 points in the fourth quarter.

New York's Kia Nurse scored a team-high 25 points, including 12 on four three-pointers, and Tina Charles added 19. The Liberty (7-15) had won its previous two games.

Cambage had 28 points in the first half to help the Wings take a 57-44 lead. She added five points in the third quarter and broke her previous high of 37 points on a three-point play with 7:29 remaining. She finished four of five from three-point range.

Moore is third in the WNBA for most points in a game, scoring 48 in a double-overtime game in 2014.

"We really haven't painted our masterpiece yet as far as playing our best basketball," Wings guard Skylar Diggins-Smith said. "We still can be a lot better."

Dallas is tied with the Washington Mystics at fourth place in the standings.