The surging Los Angeles Sparks picked up their eighth win in nine games on Thursday, beating the visiting Connecticut Sun 102-91 thanks to balanced scoring and Julie Allemand’s first career triple-double.
Los Angeles (14-15) trailed at halftime as season-long leading scorer Kelsey Plum struggled mightily to get going offensively. She did not make her first basket until late in the third quarter, but did so in time to contribute to a pivotal Sparks run.
Trailing 59-51 with 7:42 left in the third, Los Angeles went on a 9-0 run before Connecticut responded with five quick points. The Sparks regained the lead as Azura Stevens, Rae Burrell and Plum connected on back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers.
Cameron Brink was the fourth Los Angeles shooter to knock down a triple over a flurry spanning 2:46, and the Sparks never trailed again.
Connecticut (5-24) battled back to force a tie in the early fourth quarter, but the Sun — playing the second date on a four-game road swing — could not keep up down the stretch.
Los Angeles went on a 10-2 run capped with one of Plum’s three made 3-pointers on the night to establish a double-digit lead, then held on.
Plum rallied from her slow start to score 18 points, joining five other Los Angeles players in double figures. Allemand totaled 10 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.
Dearica Hamby led the Sparks with 21 points, while Rickea Jackson posted her fourth 20-plus-point game in the last five outings with 20 points. Stevens added 10, and Brink delivered her best offensive performance since returning from a 13-month absence caused by an ACL tear, scoring 11 points.
Tina Charles and Marina Mabrey led Connecticut with 19 points each. Bria Hartley added 16 points, and Leila Lacan contributed 10 points and seven assists.
Mabrey and Hartley combined to shoot 9-for-18 from 3-point range, and the Sun were 13-for-29 (44.8 percent) from deep overall, but they were only 20-for-51 (39.2 percent) on attempts from inside the arc.
Los Angeles shot 11-for-25 (44 percent) from long distance, 56.5 percent overall.
–Field Level Media
