Sabrina Ionescu scored 12 points in the fourth quarter to hold off a furious Sparks push as the Liberty defeated Los Angeles, 85-81.
After entering the fourth quarter up by 26 points, the Sparks used a 21-0 run to get back into the game. But Ionescu's shooting and timely buckets from her teammates helped the Liberty pick up their fifth win in six games.
Here are the takeaways...-The Liberty started 1-for-6 from the field in this one, but quickly overcame it, taking a 21-16 lead after the first quarter thanks to six Sparks turnovers and 18 points in the paint.
Breanna Stewart had a personal 6-0 run early on to pace the Liberty.
Jonquel Jones had a near double-double in the first frame, posting six points and eight boards (four offensive).
-The Liberty reserves started the second quarter and looked sluggish, but quickly got out to a double-digit lead thanks to the fastbreak and Sparks turnovers. They were also monsters on the boards, outrebounding LA 29-16 at the half.
They outscored the Sparks, 32-12 in the paint after two quarters.
By the half, Jones already had her double-double (10 points, 12 rebounds), while Stewart had nine points, four assists and two steals. Rebecca Allen (eight points), Ionescu (four points, three assists) and Pauline Astier (seven points, four assists, two steals) rounded out the Liberty scoring from the starting five.
-The Liberty built up a 19-point lead early in the third, but the Sparks were more physical and took more risks as they tried to cut into New York's lead. However, that also backfired as they continued to turn the ball over and foul, leading to free throws for the Liberty. That Liberty lead would grow to 26 and outscore the Sparks 18-9 in the quarter to go into the final frame up 67-41.
-The fourth quarter was chaotic. The Sparks started chucking and making their threes to cut the Liberty lead to 19 points. There was a sequence where Cameron Brink and Rae Burrell butted heads, leading to the Liberty having a two-person advantage, but could not capitalize. The Sparks, with both Brink and Burrell still reeling from their collision, hit a three to force a Liberty timeout.
That hot three-point shooting continued as LA went on a 21-0 run in just four minutes. Ionescu forced her way to the rim to end the Sparks' run. But it was the Burrell show. The forward hit a three to cut the Liberty lead to just four with four minutes to go. Ionescu would put the team on her back, making clutch buckets and finding her teammates.
Up just one point, Ionescu sunk three of four free throws to ice the win.
-Burrell scored 20 points in the fourth to help lead the Sparks' charge and finished with 28 points, three rebounds and three assists. Dearica Hamby had 16 points and four rebounds while Nneka Ogwumike was the only other Sparks player in double figures, posting 10 points and 11 rebounds.
-Ionescu led the Liberty with 20 points while Allen (13), Stewart (11) and Jones (11) and Marine Johannes (10) off the bench were the other Liberty players in double digits.
GAME MVP: Sabrina IonescuA few minutes into the third quarter, Ionescu appeared to turn her ankle and went into the locker room. She would return a few minutes later and impact the game with her shotmaking and assists and her 12 points in the fourth were the difference.
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