Kahleah Copper scores Chicago's final 8 points. Sky edge the Sparks 76-75

Aug 30, 2023, 06:00 am

LOS ANGELES -- — Kahleah Copper scored eight of her 22 points in the final 6:04, including two field goals in the closing 45 seconds, to help the Chicago Sky beat the Los Angeles Sparks 76-75 on Tuesday night.

Chicago (15-21) moved within a half-game of eighth-place Los Angeles (15-20) with a handful of games left in the regular season. The Sky hold the series tiebreaker after winning three of the four meetings.

Copper ended Los Angeles’ 9-0 run on a layup with 44.5 seconds left to give Chicago a 74-72 lead. But Karlie Samuelson answered with her second 3-pointer in less than two minutes to put the Sparks ahead 75-74 with 38.1 left.

Copper made a contested layup in the lane to put Chicago up one with 22.8 seconds left. Los Angeles had three chances at the other end, following two offensive rebounds, but couldn’t get a shot to drop.

Marina Mabrey added 14 points and Morgan Bertsch scored 12 for Chicago. Elizabeth Williams had eight points and nine rebounds.

Chicago trailed 52-48 midway through the third quarter before scoring the next 13 points for a 61-52 lead. Dana Evans added an off-balance 3-pointer just before the third-quarter buzzer to give Chicago a 64-56 lead entering the fourth.

Nneka Ogwumike had 18 points and 11 rebounds for Los Angeles, which continues a three-game homestand on Thursday against Seattle. Jordin Canada had 16 points and nine assists, and Samuelson added 11 points and nine rebounds. Los Angeles announced Lexie Brown (non-Covid illness) will miss the remainder of the season. Layshia Clarendon (health and safety protocol) also did not play.

Ogwumike passed Becky Hammon (5,841) for 15th on the WNBA’s career scoring list. Canada set a single-season franchise record for steals, passing Alana Beard’s 71 in the 2017 season.

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