Nneka Ogwumike and the Sparks Outlast Mystics 84-82

Los Angeles Sparks #30 Nneka Ogwumike (F) posting up in the paint against the Washington Mystics #21 Tianna Hawkins (F) at the Crypto.com Arena. Photo by Daynesha Lewis/TGSportstv1.Caption

LOS ANGELES, CA - Nneka Ogwumike scored 21-points, six rebounds, and made two free throws with 10.2 seconds left in the game to help the Los Angeles Sparks (6-9) beat the Washington Mystics (11-8) in a nail-biter 84-82 at the Crypto.com Arena.

With the win, the Sparks snapped a three-game losing streak and gave their interim head coach Fred Williams his first victory.

Katie Lou-Samuelson was the second-leading scorer for the Sparks with 13-points, and Jordin Canada and Chiney Ogwumike each with 10-points.

Ariel Atkins was the leading scorer for the Mystics with 22-points, Myisha Hines-Allen with 17-points, and Natasha Cloud with 13-points.

Liz Canbage's back-to-back baskets gave the Sparks a 4-2 lead in the first quarter. The Mystics took an 11-6 lead with a layup by Natasha Cloud.

Nneka Ogwumike would make a three-point shot, and the Sparks trailed 11-9. Nneka Ogwumike, with a layup, gave the lead back to the Sparks 13-11.

Jordin Canada stole the ball and went down the court for a layup making the score 15-11.

Kennedy Burke's jump shot had the Mystics trailing 17-15. The Mystics were trailing 19-18 after a three-pointer by Shatori Walker-Kimbrough.

Olivia Nelson-Ododa's layup made the score at the end of the first quarter 21-18.

The Sparks led 23-18 in the second quarter after a layup by Ogwumike. Nelson-Ododa's put-back basket had the Sparks leading by four points, 27-23.

Atkins tied the game 29-29 with her jump shot at the top of the free-throw line. Katie Lou-Samuelson made back-to-back baskets to give the Sparks a 33-29 lead with 2:50 left before halftime.

Shatori Walker-Kimbrough made two free throws that made the score 33-31. Nneka Ogwumike's basket gave the Sparks a 35-31 lead at halftime.

Nneka Ogwumike led the Sparks in scoring at halftime with 13-points. Atkins was the leading scorer for the Mystics with 9-points and Hines-Allen with 7-points.

Alysha Clark's jump shot had the Mystics trailing 44-37 in the third quarter. Cheney Ogwumike's layup had the Sparks leading by ten points, 49-39.

Nneka Ogwumike continued to dominate the paint with another layup making the score 55-44. Atkins made a jump shot that had the Mystics down 59-49.

Jordan Canada made a three-pointer to give the Sparks a 61-49 lead. Brittney Sykes made two free throws that gave the Sparks a 63-51 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Kennedy Burke fouled on her made basket and made her free throw that had the Mystics trailing in the fourth quarter, 65-54.

Skyes' three-pointer had the Sparks leading 68-57 with 7:54 left in the game. Lue-Samuelson made a three-point shot to give the Sparks a 73-57 lead.

The Sparks led 77-61 after Kristi Toliver made two technical free throws with 4:16 left in the game. Cloud had the Mystics down by ten points, 77-67, with a jump shot.

The Mystics trail 77-70 with a three-pointer by Atkins. Canada knocked down a jump shot to give the Sparks a little breathing room, 79-71. Clark would knock down a three-pointer to have the Mystics trailing 79-74.

Atkins' jump shot had the Sparks leading 80-76 with 58.1 seconds left in the game. Atkins made two free throws that had the Sparks up by two points, 80-78, with 24.9 seconds left in the game.

Cloud's three-pointer had the Mystics trailing 82-81 with 13.3 seconds left in the game. Nneka Ogumike made two free throws giving the Sparks an 84-81 lead.

On the Mystics' next possession with 2.5 seconds left in the game, Cloud, on her three-point shot attempt, was fouled by Skyes, dodged a bullet when she missed her second free throw, and intentionally missed the third one, and the Sparks were lucky to escape with the win.