Sparks tie WNBA record for best start at 20-1
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UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Jantel Lavender scored a career-high 25 points and the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Connecticut Sun 98-92 in overtime Friday night to tie the 1998 Houston Comets for the best start in WNBA history.
Lavender added a season-high 10 rebounds, and Kristi Tolliver scored eight of her 24 points in overtime for the Sparks (20-1). They’ve won nine in a row and are 9-0 on the road.
Tolliver made the last of her four 3s to give the Sparks a 93-92 lead with 1:31 left in overtime and ignite an 8-0 run to close the game.
Connecticut (6-15) missed its final three field-goal attempts and committed turnovers on three consecutive possessions after Tolliver’s clinching 3-pointer.
The Sun’s Alyssa Thomas made 1 of 2 free throws with 10 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. Tolliver missed a 3-pointer as time expired.
Connecticut led 62-46 with 8 minutes left in the third quarter, but Nneka Ogwumike scored nine points during a 16-2 run that pulled the Sparks within two. Los Angeles took its first lead, 81-80, on a 3-pointer by Ogwumike with 1:37 remaining in regulation.
Ogwumike finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Thomas had 17 points and a career-high 12 rebounds for the Sun. Chiney Ogwumike, Nneka’s sister, added 16 points and a season-high 13 rebounds.
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