The Liberty face a daunting first-round matchup, but Sabrina Ionescu is ready to embrace the challenge.

Former Oregon great Sabrina Ionescu erupted for 11 second half points and finished with 25 in her return to Matthew Knight Arena. The New York Liberty bested the Toyota Antelopes by a score of 84-61.

MINNEAPOLIS — Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu doesn’t want you to feel sorry for her. She sure doesn’t feel that way. We’ve got you covered on the Liberty beat Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features,

Sabrina Ionescu and Nike Basketball have taken the Sabrina line in a more performance-focused direction with the fourth model. The Sabrina 4 introduces several updates aimed at players who rely on quick changes of direction,

The Caitlin 1 arrives with a bold new look and stories behind its colors. The Sabrina 4 brings a proven line and a Halloween surprise

The Minnesota Lynx picked things up from where they’d left off before the World Cup, extending their losing streak. For the Liberty, and for Breanna Stewart specifically, a significant part of that victory came down to the defensive effort the team deployed against a player like Olivia Miles.

Rhyne Howard drilled her 129th 3-pointer of the WNBA season, breaking a Sabrina Ionescu record.

Some inspiring sports stories begin with championships and records, while others begin with a young athlete being told there is no place for her. For Sabrina Ionescu, one of those moments came in middle school when she wanted to play basketball but her school did not have enough girls to form a team.