NEW YORK (AP) Tina Charles had 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead New York to an 80-79 victory over the Chicago Sky on Friday night for the Liberty's sixth consecutive win.
Sugar Rodgers added 13 points for the Liberty (10-4), who are third in the AP power poll.
Charles was sporting a clear mask after she broke her nose Wednesday in a double-overtime win over Atlanta. It didn't seem to bother her much. The reigning AP player of the week, who leads the league in scoring and rebounding, had 12 points in the first half to help New York build a 50-40 halftime advantage.
The Liberty led by 11 midway through the fourth before the Sky rallied to 78-77 with 2:24 left. Neither team would score again until Sugar Rodgers hit an acrobatic backdoor floater with 39.5 seconds remaining. Elena Delle Donne answered with a tough pullup nine seconds later.
Chicago let New York run down the clock on its next possession before Charles missed a hook across the lane. Delle Donne got the rebound setting up one final chance for the Sky, but her jumper from the wing missed.
She finished with a season-high 31 points to lead Chicago (6-8). Cappie Pondexter added 20 for the seventh-ranked Sky, who have dropped four of five.
Both teams wore warm-up shirts in honor of Orlando club shooting victims. The Liberty donated $10,000 to the OneOrlando fund that was set up to support the victims' families and survivors.
