Lexi Brown scored 26 points and Nneka Ogwumike had a double-double as the visiting Los Angeles Sparks defeated the Phoenix Mercury 99-93 in overtime on Friday.
Ogwumike finished with 21 points, including a basket that gave the Sparks the lead for good in overtime, and added 12 rebounds and six assists. Jordin Canada scored 16 for Los Angeles (2-2).
Brittney Griner led the Mercury (1-3) with 24 points and 11 rebounds, Diana Taurasi and Sophie Cunningham scored 19 each, Sug Sutton had 12 and Michaela Onyenwere contributed 10.
The Sparks took a pair of two-point leads early in overtime before Taurasi’s 3-pointer gave the Mercury a one-point edge.
Ogwumike’s layup put Los Angeles back on top with 2:57 to go. Brown made a 3-pointer and Canada added a layup for a 97-91 lead with 42 seconds left.
Griner scored the Mercury’s first four second-half points and Taurasi added five as Phoenix broke from a halftime tie to take a three-point lead.
Ogwumike scored the Sparks’ first seven points of the third quarter and Los Angeles scored six straight points before the Mercury scored the final six to take a 67-65 lead at the end of the third quarter.
The lead changed hands six times in the fourth quarter.
Griner’s three-point play produced a 77-all tie with 3:35 remaining. The score was tied twice more before Griner made two free throws with 21.9 seconds left, but Brown answered by sinking a tying basket with 12.9 seconds to go.
The Sparks scored the first six points of the game. Griner hit a basket to end the Mercury’s drought, and Sutton’s layup gave the hosts their first lead, 14-13.
Brown’s layup and 3-pointer helped the Sparks hold a 22-20 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Los Angeles’ Karlie Samuelson sank a 3-pointer to start the second-quarter scoring and extend the lead, but Onyenwere’s 3-pointer pulled Phoenix even at 32 with 4:36 left in the period.
Zia Cooke made two treys to help Los Angeles take a 42-36 lead before Cunningham hit two baskets in the final 27 seconds to tie the score at 44 entering halftime.
–Field Level Media
