Liberty handle Sparks for 6th win in 7 games

Courtney Vandersloot scored 23 points, including a pivotal basket down the stretch, and the New York Liberty overcame a stout defensive effort from the host Los Angeles Sparks to score their sixth win in the last seven games, 76-69, on Tuesday.

Breanna Stewart scored 16 points despite going 1 of 9 from 3-point range and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds for her 13th double-double of the season.

New York (20-6) struggled offensively, shooting just 28 of 66, including 8 of 33 (25 percent) from 3-point range, and endured a field-goal drought of almost four minutes from the late third quarter into the fourth.

But with the Liberty holding the Sparks to just 24-of-70 shooting (34 percent) and 6 of 20 from 3-point range, New York rallied from even down in the second half en route to its second win at Los Angeles in as many games.

Vandersloot's all-around effort set the tone. She posted a game high in scoring, added seven rebounds and matched the Sparks' Jordin Canada with a game-high six assists.

Vandersloot scored on timely buckets, snapping the Liberty's field-goal drought early in the fourth quarter, then finishing in the paint with 1:08 remaining on what proved to be the clinching shot.

It was New York's final made field goal and extended the team's lead to two possessions down the stretch.

Los Angeles (9-17) could not bridge the gap. The Sparks went 2:44 without a point late, and 3:17 between field goals - both of which came on Nneka Ogwumike's layups.

The second, with 14.1 seconds remaining, cut a six-point New York lead to four, but Los Angeles came no closer.

Ogwumike led the Sparks with 20 points and eight rebounds. Canada finished with 13 points, but she shot a dismal 4-of-19.

The loss marked Los Angeles' 10th in its last 12 outings.