ARLINGTON, Texas — Turnovers and shooting percentage were detrimental in the Dallas Wings' 61-79 loss against the Los Angeles Sparks Wednesday.
"We missed so many little chip shots. And then turning the ball over. I mean, if you’re not knocking down shots and you’re turning the ball over," Dallas Wings head coach Latricia Trammell said in the postgame interview.
Sparks' Dearica Hamby had 23 points and eight rebounds while Nneka Ogwumike added 20 points and 10 rebounds, leading the team to victory over the Wings.
Hamby scored 14 points in the third quarter to extend the Los Angeles lead to 61-51 entering the fourth. The Sparks held Dallas to 10 fourth-quarter points.
Ogwumike reached 20-plus points for the fifth time in her last six games. Ogwumike also had two steals to pass Lindsay Whalen for 16th on the WNBA’s career list with 501.
Jordin Canada added 15 points and six assists for Los Angeles (5-4).
The Sparks shot 52% from the field while the Wings went 25 for 69 (36%) with 17 turnovers.
Coach Trammell said her players went into the locker room following the loss and heard each other out on what improvements are needed.
"They have this championship mentality, which I absolutely love. I love this team. They’re incredible people and even better - I will say this, they hurt more than any of you all, they know it wasn’t their best basketball," Trammell said. "So, them knowing that and understanding that, they’re ready to get back in and work on some of those things.”
Despite the loss, there were some individual and franchise wins for the Wings.
Kalani Brown set career-highs with 21 points and 11 rebounds for Dallas (5-5), which lost its first home game of the season. Satou Sabally secured her seventh straight double-double — to set a franchise record — with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Brown and Sabally’s double-doubles represent the third time this season two Wings players have recorded one in the same game.
The Wings also shot 100% from the free throw line for the second time this season.
Arike Ogunbowale added 13 points on 5-of-16 shooting, while Natasha Howard put up seven points and six rebounds.
Up next:
The Wings now 5-5 on the season, will take on the Seattle Storm at 1 p.m. CT on Saturday, June 17 for the team’s African American Heritage Night and Juneteenth celebration with national coverage on CBS.
