WASHINGTON — Erica Wheeler scored eight of her 21 points in the final 70 seconds, Nneka Ogwumike had 20 points and 11 rebounds, and the Sparks beat the Washington Mystics, 92-87, on Friday night.
Ogwumike, who sat out the Sparks’ victory over the Las Vegas Aces last weekend due to a hand injury, moved into sixth place on the WNBA’s career rebounding list with 3,312 and now has a franchise-record 2,339 made field goals for the Sparks. Ogwumike, who shot 8 for 17 from the field, moved past franchise icon Lisa Leslie, who had 2,332 field goals for the Sparks and 3,307 career rebounds.
Shakira Austin made two free throws that tied it at 81-all with 2:07 to play but Ogwumike answered with an uncontested 3-pointer with 1:51 left before Wheeler sealed it.
Ogwumike’s clutch shot was needed because the Sparks (4-3) squandered an eight-point lead in the final 4½ minutes. Washington (3-4) hit five free throws during a 12-4 run that ended with Austin’s game-tying free throws.
After Wheeler found Ogwumike for the 3-pointer, Austin committed a turnover and Wheeler converted an 8-footer following an offensive rebound with 1:10 left. The Mystics twice got within one point in the final 44 seconds but also missed a chance at tying the game when former USC standout Kiki Iriafen was off target on a 3-point attempt with 6.3 seconds remaining.
Wheeler scored 14 of her 21 points in the fourth quarter, and she finished with eight assists. Wheeler shot 8 for 16 from the field as the Sparks shot 50% overall and scored 50 points in the paint in their first game without star guard Kelsey Plum (illness/ankle), the WNBA’s leading scorer at 26.8 per game.
Cameron Brink tied her season high with 16 points (14 in the first half), and Dearica Hamby added 14 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals as the Sparks won for the fourth time in their past five games.
Austin had 25 points and 10 rebounds, her fourth double-double this season, but the Mystics remained without consecutive victories this season. Sonia Citron scored 15 of her 21 points in the second half and had eight assists, while Iriafen had 13 points and nine rebounds. Washington shot 50.8% overall but just 5 for 22 from 3-point range.
The Mystics shot 64.7% and scored 20 points in the paint for a 25-21 lead through the opening quarter, but the Sparks held them to 12 points in the second quarter. The visitors took a 32-29 lead on a 3-pointer by Brink with 3:07 left in the second and got another 3-pointer from Brink with 17.7 seconds left for a 42-37 halftime lead.
After Citron’s basket put the Mystics ahead 52-51 with 5:50 left in the third, the Sparks briefly took control and held a 60-54 edge following two free throws by Brink. Austin’s basket made it a one-point game with 58 seconds left in the period before Chance Gray and Wheeler hit 3-pointers in the final 20.5 seconds to give the Sparks a 69-61 lead heading into the fourth.
UP NEXT
The Sparks play at Connecticut on Saturday at 3 p.m. PT, the final stop of their four-game trip.