Ogwumike scores 22 to help Sparks beat Liberty 84-74

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nneka Ogwumike scored 22 points, Liz Cambage added 16 and the Los Angeles Sparks beat the New York Liberty 84-74 Sunday.

Chiney Ogwumike had 12 points and 10 rebounds, Katie Lou Samuelson also scored 12 points and Jordin Canada added 11 points and seven assists for the Sparks (9-11), who won consecutive games for the first time since the end of May.

Nneka Ogwumike made a layup midway through the third quarter to give the Sparks the lead for good at 53-52 and Chiney Ogwumike’s jumper with 1:22 left in the period stretched the lead to 65-57. Crystal Dangerfield made a 3-pointer, Han Xu hit a hook shot and Marine Johannes followed with another 3 to trim the Liberty’s deficit to 69-68 with 4:42 to play but Cambage made baskets to open and cap a 10-2 spurt that made it 79-70 with 2 minutes to go.

Johannes led the Liberty (8-12) with 17 points and Natasha Howard scored 13. Sabrina Ionescu had 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists but made just 5 of 18 from the field — including 3 of 12 from 3-point range — and committed six turnovers.

Kristi Tolliver left the game in the opening minutes due to a calf injury and did not return for the Sparks.

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