WNBA13 min ago2 minute read

Breanna Stewart Rare Technical Foul Ends Nine Year Streak in Liberty Loss

Breanna Stewart picked up a rare technical foul as the New York Liberty fell 95-84 to Atlanta, ending her nine year streak without one.

The EagleEyeOdds deskWritten from the match data, checked against our model before it goes out

A Rare Whistle for Stewart

Breanna Stewart went nine years without getting a single technical foul. That incredibly long streak came to an end on Monday night. Stewart was hit with a technical foul late in the New York Liberty's 95-84 loss to Atlanta.

It was only the third technical foul of her entire career. Her last one came all the way back in 2017. The rare whistle came in the final minutes of the game, highlighting a frustrating night for the Liberty star.

Frustration Boils Over

The incident happened with just under two minutes left on the clock. Stewart drove hard to the basket, but Angel Reese stole the ball right out of her hands. Replays of the play clearly showed that Reese slapped Stewart's wrist, but the officials did not blow the whistle.

Stewart was highly upset with the missed call and let the officials know it. "She slapped the s--- out of my hand," Stewart said after the game when talking about the play. "You gotta see that."

Stewart still put up big numbers in the game, finishing with 27 points and 14 rebounds. She currently ranks second in the league in free throw attempts per game. On her way out of the postgame news conference, she said that Reese should be the one to pay the fine that comes with the technical foul.

Playoff Hopes and World Cup Honors

The defeat carried heavy consequences for New York. The loss officially ended the Liberty's chances of securing homecourt advantage in the opening round of the playoffs, which are set to begin on Sunday.

Before the game, the Liberty held a special ceremony to honor Stewart and six other players on their roster who competed in the women's FIBA World Cup. Stewart earned the MVP award for that tournament earlier this month, where she helped the United States win its fifth consecutive gold medal. The two teams will play again on Wednesday in the regular season finale.

What it means for the next game

Atlanta Dream at New York Liberty (WNBA, Thu, 24 Sep): New York Liberty win 38%, Atlanta Dream win 62%; projected score New York Liberty 83, Atlanta Dream 85. Our safest pick: Liberty +9.5.