Dearica Hamby scored 21 points as the host Los Angeles Sparks snapped their seven-game losing streak by shocking the WNBA-leading New York Liberty 94–88 on Wednesday night.
The Sparks (7–24), who were ahead most of the game, led by 14 points in the opening quarter, and three days after blowing a 22-point lead in a 113–110 loss to the Dallas Wings, they did enough in the fourth to get their first win since July 13.
Rookie Rickea Jackson added 19 points and reserve Rae Burrell contributed 11 of her 18 in the fourth quarter as the Sparks shot 51.5 percent from the field and topped 90 points for the fourth time this season.
New York’s Breanna Stewart led all scorers with 32 points on 11-of-19 shooting but the Liberty (26–6) lost for the second time in three games following an eight-game winning streak. New York saw its lead for the WNBA’s best record trimmed to 2 1/2 games over the Minnesota Lynx and three games over the Connecticut Sun.
Stewart scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, including nine in the final minute. Sabrina Ionescu added 18 points and Nyara Sabally contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds as the Liberty shot 50.8 percent but committed 20 turnovers, resulting in 29 Los Angeles points.
Courtney Vandersloot handed out 13 assists but New York allowed its second-highest point total of the season and yielded at least 90 points for the third time this season.
The Sparks held a 26–14 lead through the opening quarter and had a 46–39 lead at halftime. Vandersloot’s layup forged a 55–55 deadlock with 3:13 left in the third quarter. Ionsecu’s 3-pointer put New York ahead 63–62 with 48.1 seconds left but Los Angeles took a 67–63 lead into the fourth.
Consecutive 3s by Burrell gave the Sparks a 77–68 lead with 5:52 left, and Los Angeles held an 82–74 edge on Burrell’s 3-point play with 2:49 remaining. An Odyssey Sims’ basket pushed the lead to 87–74 with 1:41 to go, and the Liberty were within 92–87 after Stewart hit a 3 with 17 seconds left. Two seconds later, the Sparks’ Stephanie Talbot sank two free throws to seal the win.
