INDIANAPOLIS — The Sparks found some fourth-quarter mojo and ended their four-game losing streak.
Azura Stevens scored 23 points, Kelsey Plum had 21 points and six assists off the bench, and the Sparks halted their skid by beating the short-handed Indiana Fever, 85-75, on Thursday night.
Indiana played without star guard Caitlin Clark due to a groin injury. Clark had recently returned from a quadriceps injury that kept her sidelined for five games. She returned on June 14 and scored 32 points to help the Fever to a 102-88 victory against the Liberty.
Plum made a 3-pointer with 4:13 left to give the Sparks a 67-66 lead, its first since the opening minute of the second quarter. She added two free throws on their next possession to cap a 21-8 run spanning the third-quarter break.
The Sparks sealed it by grabbing two offensive rebounds with less than a minute to play. Dearica Hamby was fouled while making a layup to give the Sparks a 79-75 lead. She missed the free throw but Stevens grabbed it and completed a three-point play to make it 81-75 with 49 seconds left.
Hamby and Rickea Jackson each scored 14 points for the Sparks (5-11), who outscored the Fever 35-17 in the fourth quarter to salvage a win at the end of their three-game Midwestern road trip.
Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana (7-8) with 20 points and Aliyah Boston had 12 points, 10 rebounds and five steals.
Indiana led 31-22 before the Sparks went on an 8-0 run, capped by Shey Peddy’s 3-pointer to get within one. Sophie Cunningham answered with a 3-pointer and the Fever led 34-30 at the break after forcing 15 turnovers.
The Sparks had 19 turnovers but shot 50% from the field while holding Indiana to 36.5%, including a 7-for-28 showing from 3-point range. The Sparks had a 42-28 scoring advantage in the paint.