INDIANAPOLIS – A fourth quarter rally from the Los Angeles Sparks was enough to defeat the Indiana Fever, 87-80, on Tuesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the third time during the regular season.

WNBA All-Star Kelsey Mitchell’s 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the floor and 6-of-6 shooting from the charity stripe led the way for Indiana (7-22). With her three made 3-point field goals on Tuesday night, Mitchell moved into 25th place for most 3-point field goals made in WNBA history. Mitchell ended the night at 412 makes from beyond the arc for her career heading into Thursday’s matchup against Minnesota.

With 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting, All-Star starter Aliyah Boston earned her 13th career game with at least 10 points on 60 percent shooting, allowing her to surpass Brittney Griner’s 12 games in 2013 and set a new WNBA record for most such games by a rookie, per Across The Timeline. Boston also neared a double-double as she pulled down nine rebounds on the night and is averaging 20.7 points over the last three contests.

Rookie guard Grace Berger came off the bench to pitch in 14 points for Indiana, which was her second-highest offensive output of her career. Berger ended the night with career-highs in field goals made (6) and 3-point field goals made (2), while dishing out four assists. Berger led Indiana’s second unit to outscore the Los Angeles reserves, 32-19.

After missing nine games due to injury, Fever forward NaLyssa Smith returned to the court this evening and contributed eight points to go along with six rebounds. In addition, Kristy Wallace came off the bench to add six points, along with career-highs of seven assists and four steals.

Though the Sparks opened the first two minutes of play with a 10-2 scoring run for its largest lead of the night, Indiana soon rebounded with the help of Boston’s 12 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the court. Along with Boston’s highest scoring quarter of her career and Mitchell’s nine points; Boston, Mitchell and Smith combined to shoot a perfect 7-of-7 from the free throw line in the opening quarter. After taking the lead at the 1:09 mark, Mitchell extended Indiana’s lead to four points with a three-pointer to cap off the first quarter, 27-23.

Indiana stretched a 25-9 scoring run into the second quarter and grew the lead to as many as nine points. Berger led the Fever as she recorded a new career-high for most points in a quarter with eight points on 3-of-5 shooting from the floor and 2-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc. Los Angeles ended the second frame on a 13-5 scoring run of its own, but the Fever maintained the lead going into halftime, 41-40.

The Sparks overcame an eight-point deficit in the third frame with a 14-6 scoring run, but would only hold their advantage for less than one minute as the Fever took the lead back with a pair of free throws from Boston. Led by Boston and Vivians’ four and three rebounds respectively, the Fever outrebounded the Sparks, 11-5, in the third quarter. Indiana finished the quarter on an eventual 14-6 scoring run of their own, and owned a 58-57 lead at the end of the third quarter.

A 10-2 scoring run from the Sparks, capped off by a layup from forward Nneka Ogwumike, allowed the Sparks to take the lead for the final time at the 4:12 mark in the fourth quarter. Karlie Samuelson’s eight points and Layshia Clarendon’s seven points in the fourth quarter led the way in the Los Angeles comeback effort.

The Sparks’ (11-18) nine players in the scoring column were led by Ogwumike, who recorded a double-double on the night with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Clarendon notched 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the court and dished out five assists. In addition, Jordin Canada added 10 points to go along with a team-high seven assists, while Samuelson contributed 13 points and six rebounds.

UP NEXT
The Fever host the Minnesota Lynx at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET. Thursday’s game will be broadcast on Bally Sports Indiana.