Sparks Top Lynx

MINNEAPOLIS (June 8, 2019) – The Sparks spoiled Lindsay Whalen’s jersey retirement
ceremony game coming into Target Center and pulling out an 89-85 win. The Sparks got key performances from Tierra Ruffin-Pratt, who scored a season-high 17 points, and Riquna Williams, who had a season-high 25. All-Star Chelsea Gray again played the role of closer, scoring the Sparks last six points to ice the game. She finished with 21 points. Tierra Ruffin-Pratt, making her third start in the place of Alana Beard (left leg), scored the first basket for the Sparks and her 3-pointer moments later gave the Sparks a 7-2 lead. Chelsea Gray followed that up with another triple to put the Sparks up 12-4 and they had all the momentum. However, the Sparks missed some open shots and the Lynx answered with a 7-0 run before Riquna Williams hit a 3-pointer to give the Sparks a 15-11 lead. The game was tied at 17-17 after the first quarter.

Williams opened up the second quarter scoring with a drive to the basket plus the foul. Former Spark Odyssey Sims tied the game with a 3-pointer before Marina Mabrey answered with a triple to put the Sparks up 23-20. The Sparks went on a 9-0 run sparked by Riquna Williams and her triple put the Sparks up 38-25, their largest lead of the game. Minnesota responded with a 14-6 run to close the half, taking advantage of Sparks fouls, and Los
Angeles to a 44-39 lead into the break. Chiney Ogwumike reached double-figures with the first basket of the second half. The game seesawed until a Lexie Brown 3-pointer gave the Lynx a 51-50 lead. The Lynx tacked on six more points to go up 57-50 and force a timeout from head coach Derek Fisher. A 9-2 response from the Sparks tied the game at 59-59. Brown and N. Ogwumike exchanged 3-pointers, and a Williams triple gave the Sparks a 67-66 lead after the third. A Ruffin-Pratt triple started the fourth quarter scoring putting the Sparks up four. Chelsea Gray left the game after getting hit by a hard screen, but returned minutes later. A Mabrey steal and score put the Sparks up 72-66 with 8:11 remaining. Both teams answered each other before a Ruffin-Pratt basket and-one put the Sparks up 79-71 with 5:09 left. Two Gray freethrows put the Sparks up 10, but the Lynx responded quickly with a 7-0 run forcing a Sparks Leaders Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Total Points Rebounds Assists Sparks (3-2) 17 27 23 22 89 Williams25 N.&C. Ogwumike-9 RuffinPratt-5 Lynx (4-2) 17 22 27 19 85 Fowles20 Fowles-13 Sims-7 timeout up 81-78 with 3:18 left. The Sparks led 83-79 before Lexie Brown threw up a prayer with the shot clock winding down to pull the Lynx within one-point with 1:10 remaining. Gray, developing the reputation as the best closer in the WNBA, answered with a pull-up jumper to put the Sparks up 85-82 with 52.2 second left. Collier split a pair of free throws to make it 85-83 Los Angeles. Gray again came through, hitting another shot to put the Spark up four and secure the win. Up Next: The Sparks travel home for the beginning of the week and then travel to Phoenix to play the Mercury at 7 p.m. PT on CBS Sports.

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Tags: Los Angeles Sparks, Minnesota Lynx, The Hype Magazine, WNBA

About the Author

Landon Buford Washington State Graduate Past Interviews include Grammy Award Winner Kenny G, David Banner, WNBA President Lisa Borders, What's Trending's CEO Shira Lazar, Ice Cube, NBC's Chicago PD LaRoyce Hawkins, Family Matters Darius McCrary, En Vogues Maxine Jones, Team USA Track & Field Member Norris Frederick, James Kyson, WNBA Great Lauren Jackson, and more.