Postgame Notes: Fever vs. Sparks
Published on July 9, 2026 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Los Angeles Sparks News Release
Game Leaders:
Sparks
PTS - Nneka Ogwumike (24) REB - Dearica Hamby (9) AST - Erica Wheeler (6)
Fever PTS - Kelsey Mitchell (29) REB - Monique Billings (12) AST - Tyasha Harris (4)
Key Takeaways:
The Sparks' 106 -point win over the Fever marks the most points scored in a regular- season game at home and the fifth most points in franchise history. With this win, Los Angeles surpassed its previous record of 105 points scored at home against the San Antonio Stars (105-80) on Dec. 25, 2006
Five Sparks scored in double digits with three scoring over 20+ each: Nneka Ogwumike (24), Rae Burrell (22), Dearcia Hamby (21), Ariel Atkins (12) & Erica Wheeler (12)
Ogwumike had her 154th 20-point game of her career, which is the fifth most in WNBA history, contributing a team-high 24 points on 47.5% shooting from the field (9-for-19),
50.0% from three-point range (2-for-4) and 100.0% from the free throw line (4-for-4).
The Stanford alumna also added eight rebounds and five assists
Burrell recorded her third 20+ point game this season, which is the most of her career, contributing 22 points on 60.0% (9-for-15) shooting from the field. The former Lady Vol also tallied four assists, three rebounds and one steal
With her three-pointer in the first quarter, Atkins surpassed 3,500 career points. Overall, the Texas native recorded 12 points (2-for-2 FT), three rebounds and two steals
Hamby recorded a season high rating of +18 while adding 21 points on 53.5% shooting from the field (8-for-15), a team-high nine rebounds and a game-high four steals
Los Angeles shot 50.6% from the field (40-for-79), 45.0% from three-point range (9-for- 20) and 85.0% from the free throw line (17-for-20) First Quarter:
Hamby opened scoring for the Sparks with a layup via an assist from Wheeler at the 8:58 mark
Alissa Pili recorded her first field goal with the Sparks with a layup assisted by Kiana Williams
The Fever went on a 10-2 run from 4:35 to the 2:00 mark to extend their lead to 25-17
Wheeler recorded a game-high three assists in the first quarter
Los Angeles limited Indiana to 28.6% from three-point range (2-for-7 3FG) in the quarter Second Quarter:
Ogwumike completed a shot from beyond the arc at the 3:46 mark, her sixth consecutive point in less than one minute, to put the Sparks up 36-34
The Sparks went on a 12-0 run from the 5:36 to the 2:36 mark to make the score 40-34, Sparks'advantage
The Sparks shot 45.0% from the field (9-for-20 FG), 66.7% from three-point range (2- for-3) and 87.5% from the free throw line (7-for-8) in the second quarter
Los Angeles has scored 14 points off 12 Indiana turnovers, in addition to 26 points in the paint in the first half
The Sparks have held the Fever to 23.5% from three-point territory (4-for-17) and 35.9% from the field (14-for-39) in the first half Third Quarter:
With five seconds left in the third quarter, Burrell drained a triple via an assist from Pili to deepen the Sparks' lead, 82 -71
Burrell had a team-high 10 points on 80.0% shooting from the field (4-for-5) and 100.0% from three-point range (2-for-2) in the third quarter
Ogwumike filled the stat sheet with eight points, two rebounds, and three assists in the quarter
In the third quarter, Los Angeles limited Indiana to no fast break points (10-0) and led the Fever in paint points (14-8)
The Sparks shot 63.2% from the field (12-for-19), 55.9% from three-point territory (5- for-9) and 100.0% from the free throw line (5-for-5) in the quarter Fourth Quarter:
With less than 30 seconds left in the game, Hamby converted a layup via an assist from Williams to record the Sparks' most points scored at home in franchise history
In the final quarter, Wheeler led the team with seven points (3-for-4 FG, 1-for-1 FT) to go along with two rebounds, two assists and one steal
Los Angeles held Indiana to 25% from three (2-for-8) and 20% (1-for-5) from the charity stripe
The Sparks shot 55.0% from the field (11-for-20) in the fourth quarter and recorded twice as many assists (10-5)
Los Angeles led in paint points (20-14), second chance points (5-0) and fast break points (10-1) in the final quarter Pregame Quotes:
Head Coach Lynne Roberts
On the pressure that half the season is gone:
"We've had one game where we've had everybody healthy. We're missing our best offensive player [ Kelsey Plum ] and our best defensive player [ Cameron Brink ] and we have been for weeks. That's impactful. It changes the plan. I don't know what's being said online, and I don't care, because I know what we're doing inside these walls and how hard we're grinding to figure things out. The goalposts haven't moved. We just aren't as close to them as we want to be, but we'll get there. Guaranteed."
On what makes the Sparks dangerous:
"We've got to be connected. We're missing 36 points a game, and you can't make that up by just subbing in one player. It's got to be the sum of the parts being bigger than the whole. I think we can be a dangerous team too, but we've got to play connected for 40 minutes."
Postgame Quotes:
Head Coach Lynne Roberts
On the impact of the bench tonight:
"They came in and did what they needed to do. I could go down the line with Kiana [ Williams'] push and pace, getting us organized [and] doing a really good job on [Tyasha] Harris or whoever she was guarding with a couple big shots. [ Alissa ] Pili came in [and] did a good job. She hasn't played the game in seven months, but it was great to have her physicality out there. And then'JP'[ Jihyun Park ] was kind of the unsung hero. She created so many second possessions for us, key ones... And Emma [ Cannon ] came in and hit that big three when we were down. We really needed it. I thought the bench was tremendous. They really gave us a boost."
On the importance of tonight's win:
"I'm happy we won, obviously, but I'm more happy with how we played.
The response that we showed from just laying an egg [on] Monday to coming back. We talked about playing more connected, having a little more smarts out there, defensively emptying the tank, getting out and running and playing with pace. We had 27 fast break points. We were rebounding and running and that's what we want to do."
Rae Burrell
On leaving it all on the floor:
"I was just trying to be aggressive. Like I said, win or lose, we wanted to fight and compete. I was just making sure that I was trying to do everything I could to show that and be there for the team... They were giving me great looks, and I was trying to show it both defensively and offensively, just trying to be aggressive and just be me. I have so much belief from my staff and my teammates, so that just really helps me to keep going and keep being who I am."
Nneka Ogwumike
On the team maintain energy throughout the game:
"We wanted to play hard. We wanted to own each possession and to compete at every level for the full 40 minutes of play. It's really that simple. I think when you put your heart into playing that hard, the schemes, the plays, the execution, it comes to fruition. And tonight, it felt good. It
felt good emptying the tank as well. Just ensuring that anybody who was on the court was doing everything possible to make sure that we could win the possession."
NEXT: The Sparks finish their homestand on Friday, July 10 at 7 p.m. PT when they host the Chicago Sky at the Crypto.com Arena before they leave for Atlanta.
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