Tianna Hawkins scored 17 points to help the short-handed Washington Mystics snap their longest losing streak of the season with a 79-77 win over the visiting Los Angeles Sparks on Friday.
Hawkins was one of five double-digit scorers for the Mystics (13-13), who got 15 points from Queen Egbo off the bench, 11 from Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and 10 apiece from Natasha Cloud and reserve Li Meng.
Brittney Sykes energized Washington with eight points, eight assists, seven rebounds and four steals against her former team.
The Mystics played without two-time MVP Elena Delle Donne, who missed her eighth consecutive game since spraining her ankle in Washington’s 92-84 loss at Connecticut on July 9.
Ariel Atkins (ankle), Shakira Austin (hip) and Kristi Toliver (foot) were also out for the Mystics, who had lost three straight and five of six overall entering Friday’s game.
Azura Stevens supplied 19 points and went 3-for-4 from 3-point range for the Sparks (9-18) in their 11th loss in 13 games. Nneka Ogwumike hit for 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Jordin Canada posted eight rebounds and seven assists but scored just eight points on a dreary 1-for-7 shooting effort.
Dearica Hamby (14) and Zia Cooke (10) provided 24 of Los Angeles’ 29 bench points.
Washington entered the fourth quarter ahead 58-53 and led 69-59 after Hawkins’ 3-pointer with 6:26 to play before the Sparks surged back behind eight points from Ogwumike and clawed within 75-73 on Stevens’ layup with 1:45 to play.
Cooke’s block gave Los Angeles possession and a chance to tie, but Canada lost the handle on the ensuing possession and Hawkins finished on the other end to give the Mystics a 77-73 edge with 39 seconds left.
Stevens split a pair of free throws before she made a long 3-pointer that made it 79-77 with 3 seconds remaining, but the Mystics quickly inbounded and dribbled out the clock to improve to 9-4 at home this season.
Hawkins led Washington with 12 first-half points as the Mystics held a 48-40 lead at the break. Stevens didn’t miss a shot in the first half for the Sparks, going 4-for-4 from the field and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line to pace Los Angeles with 13 points.
The teams meet in Washington again on Sunday.
–Field Level Media
