INDIANAPOLIS — The Sparks came out on the right side of a tight game on Tuesday night and secured a winning road trip in the process.
Nneka Ogwumike had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Layshia Clarendon had 17 points and the Sparks beat the Indiana Fever, 87-80, by outplaying their opponents in the fourth quarter.
The Sparks have lost seven games by six points or less this season, many of them involving blown fourth-quarter leads, but they were the superior team down the stretch this time.
The Sparks trailed 71-64 before scoring 15 of the next 17 points, capped by Jasmine Thomas’ wide-open 3-pointer from the corner for a 79-73 lead with 3:17 remaining. Thomas added a baseline jumper with 44.1 seconds left, after her initial shot was blocked, for an 81-76 lead.
Indiana guard Grace Berger was called for a technical foul with 36.1 seconds left and Jordin Canada sealed the win with a free throw for a six-point lead.
Karlie Samuelson added 13 points and six rebounds and Canada finished with 10 points, seven assists and three steals for the Sparks (11-18), who won just their fourth road game of the season but their second in a row to conclude a three-game trip.
Ogwumike shot 8 for 19 from the field and Clarendon was 6 for 8, but the Sparks were held to 40.3% shooting overall (29 for 72). They made up for some of that with a 21-for-24 showing from the free-throw line and by taking advantage of 20 Indiana turnovers.
Kelsey Mitchell scored 21 points and Aliyah Boston had 18 points and nine rebounds for the Fever (7-22). NaLyssa Smith, who played in her first game since June 9 due to a left foot injury, had eight points and six rebounds in 18 minutes.
Boston scored 12 points in the first quarter and Mitchell added nine points to help the hosts open a 27-23 lead. The Fever led 41-40 at halftime after scoring being held to 14 points in the second quarter.
The Sparks host Atlanta (15-13) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m., then they get a week to prepare for a road game against league-leading Las Vegas (24-3).