The Sparks are fighting for a playoff spot, and they lose to the hot Connecticut Sun, who won their eighth straight game. They could not contain Brionna Jones, and she dropped 16 points with a career-high 15 rebounds.
Erica Wheeler continued her hot streak with 15 points and seven assists for the Sparks. Te’a Cooper added 13 points as they lost three consecutive games.
The Sparks had no answer for Connecticut in the second quarter, the Sun erupted for 14 points, and they won the rebounding match 38-18.
The defense for the Sparks continued to shine as they held the Sun to 76 points and forced 20 turnovers, but scoring was still a problem.
Head coach Fisher says it’s a constant journey and evolution of who you are as a team. He says through these stretches of games, and they are learning a lot about themselves.
Despite players being injured throughout the season, the Sparks have found a defensive identity. Fisher noted that during these stretches of games, fatigue had played a significant role in their losses. As a result, they have to ask more from Wheeler, Sykes, and Coffey. He says there is no way around that.
Fisher states, “We have to find ways to push through that. There is no excuse, but that’s part of an extended road trip.” He says their actionable items are limiting turnovers and putting themselves in a position to make the playoffs, and their margin for error is small.
The Sparks have two more road games, Tuesday at Indiana and next Thursday at Minnesota. Wheeler said the key to finishing strong is winning games.
