Los Angeles, LA — Kelsey Plum powered a second-half surge and Azurá Stevens delivered a double-double as the Los Angeles Sparks ended a long-standing drought against the Connecticut Sun with a hard-fought 92-88 win on Sunday afternoon.
The victory marked the Sparks’ first over the Sun in nearly four years, breaking a 13-game losing streak that dated back to August 28, 2020.
Plum scored 18 of her 23 points after halftime, igniting the offense in critical moments, while Stevens added 21 points and 11 rebounds to anchor the Sparks (7-14) on both ends of the floor. Rickea Jackson chipped in 19 points and Dearica Hamby contributed 17 in a balanced team effort.
Connecticut (3-18) was led by Bria Hartley, who posted a season-high 25 points. Rookie guard Saniya Rivers scored a career-best 20, while Jacy Sheldon and Aneesah Morrow added 13 and 10 points, respectively.
The Sun looked in control late in the first half when Morrow’s inside bucket gave them a 49-41 advantage with under two minutes remaining. But a quick 6-0 run from the Sparks — fueled by Jackson’s inside scoring and clutch free throws from Julie Allemand — closed the gap to 49-47 at the break.
Stevens came out firing in the third, draining two three-pointers during a 10-1 Sparks run, capped by a Plum layup that gave Los Angeles a 57-50 lead. From there, the Sparks maintained control and never trailed again.
Despite shooting 50% from the field, Connecticut couldn’t overcome the Sparks’ tenacity on the boards. Los Angeles grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and turned them into 14 critical second-chance points.
What’s Next:
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The Sun return home to begin a six-game stand Tuesday against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.
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The Sparks will look to build momentum when they host the Washington Mystics on Tuesday.
