The Sky owned the paint against the league’s second-best team, with Reese and Cardoso getting double-doubles. With the playoffs out of reach, their growth is the story.

Angel Reese and the Sky stunned the Liberty, beating the defending champions, 91-85, on Thursday night at Barclays Center.

The Liberty had a narrow lead over the Sky through three quarters, but Chicago outscored them 26-17 in the final quarter to win the game. It was another frustrating loss for the reigning WNBA champions, who have dropped three of their last four and been up and down since starting off the season 9-0.

Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso both stepped up to help the Chicago Sky secure a 91-85 upset victory over the New York Liberty at Barclays Center on Thursday night.

The Liberty have a rebounding problem. It’s odd considering New York shared the title with the Sky as the best rebounding team in the league last season. But the Liberty have been outrebounded in more games than not. On average, opponents grab 2.5 more boards per game than New York.

Over ten years ago, Chicago Sky made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. A six-game winning streak midseason helped and so did a big win against the New York Liberty.

The New York Liberty couldn’t take the victory over the Chicago Sky, despite it being eliminated from playoff contention, Chicago didn’t play like it. The Sky dominated the free throw line and the paint to take the 91-85 victory.