Dearica Hamby scored 23 points as the visiting Los Angeles Sparks poured it on in the fourth quarter to beat the host Dallas Wings 79-61 on Wednesday in a WNBA Commissioner’s Cup game in Arlington, Texas.

Nneka Ogwumike added 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Sparks, who won for the second in their past three outings. Los Angeles (5-4) will play its next five games at home.

The Sparks led by 10 points heading into the final period and used their defense to stymie any chance of a Dallas comeback. The Wings managed just 10 points in the fourth quarter and scored just two over the final six minutes of the game.

Jordin Canada added 15 points for Los Angeles.

Kalani Brown led the Wings (5-5) with 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Satou Sabally added 14 points and 13 rebounds, and Arike Ogunbowale scored 13 points on 5-of-16 shooting from the floor.

The Sparks led by as many as eight points after Ogwumike’s layup at the 2:47 mark of the first quarter. Dallas responded, closing the period with a 7-2 run capped by Natasha Howard’s layup with 53 seconds remaining to pull within 17-16 after the opening 10 minutes of play.

The Wings drew within 27-26 on a layup by Brown with 5:31 to play in the second quarter before Los Angeles reasserted itself, drawing away to a 10-point lead after Zia Cooke’s pullup jumper with 1:49 left until halftime.

Two free throws by Sabally allowed Dallas to close its deficit to 38-32 at the break.

Ogwumike led all scorers with 12 points while Sabally and Brown had 9 each to pace the Wings at the half.

The Sparks added to their lead over the first four minutes of the third quarter, going up 49-40 after a running layup by Hamby at the 6:02 mark. A pair of free throws by Hamby with 29 seconds left in the period increased Los Angeles’ lead to 61-51 with a quarter to play.

–Field Level Media