Sky Score 34 in the Fourth Quarter to Beat Sparks 95-88

Natasha Cloud, Kamilla Cardoso, and Jacy Sheldon each scored 15 points, and the Chicago Sky scored 34 in the fourth quarter to beat the Los Angeles Sparks 95-88 on Wednesday night at Wintrust Arena.

Sheldon's 15 were a season high, and her 3 3-pointers were a season best. She added 3 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal. Cardoso finished with 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks. Cloud had 9 of Chicago's 28 assists, tying her season high, and has averaged 6.1 assists since moving into the starting lineup on July 7. The Sky are 6-5 over that stretch.

Chicago scored 33 points in the first quarter and shot 61.1% from the field and 71.4% from 3-point range in the period. Los Angeles shot 36.8%. The Sky assisted on 15 of their 17 made baskets in the first half and went 8-of-8 from the free-throw line before the break.

Sky coach Tyler Marsh said Los Angeles brought more bodies and more pressure to the ball against Courtney Vandersloot and Cloud, and that Chicago answered by putting another guard at the top of the floor as an outlet.

"Yeah, that was part of the defensive game plan for us. LA does a really good job of playing with great pace, and they do a great job of attacking space," Marsh said. "And so for us to kind of slow them down a little bit, we have to initiate physicality and be active with our hands, and those deflections kind of stall them a little bit when we're able to.

"And so I thought we did a good job of initiating that in the first quarter. And what really threw us off, honestly, was their zone — they played a few minutes of zone, which they haven't done much of this year. And so I think that kind of threw us off offensively, and they were able to get some stops and get out and run in transition."

Los Angeles scored 19 points in each of the first two quarters. The Sparks outrebounded Chicago 12-8 in the second and led 8-5 in assists over the period.

Marsh said opponents have committed to taking away Cardoso's post touches and her rolls in pick-and-rolls, and that Chicago has had to manufacture points across the board.

"So credit to them, but I thought we did a good job of bouncing back," Marsh explained. "And when you hold a team like that to under 20 points for back-to-back quarters, I think it puts you in good position to now sustain some of the runs that they go on in the second half. So I credit our team for continuing to fight."

Los Angeles opened the second half on a 13-2 run and led 51-50 with 5:28 remaining in the third quarter. Chicago scored 13 points in the period. Rae Burrell made two free throws with four seconds left to put the Sparks ahead 62-61 going into the fourth.

Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said Los Angeles finished with 27 assists and did not shoot the ball as well as it has been shooting.

"You know, I thought in the first quarter we came out a little flat. A little — I don't know, for the life of me, I don't know why," Roberts said. "But we were just reacting to everything, and I felt like the fourth quarter was a little bit of a replay of that. We had a couple-bad-minute stretch where they went on a run, and then defensively we just kind of died in the fourth. I'd have to watch it back to be more specific, but that's what it felt like."

The Sky went on a 19-5 run from the 8:58 mark to 4:53 of the fourth quarter to lead 83-72. Chicago shot 12-of-15 from the field in the period and outscored Los Angeles 34-26. Erica Wheeler hit a 3-pointer with under five seconds left to set the final margin. The game had 10 lead changes and six ties.

Dearica Hamby said Los Angeles probably should have fouled to stop the game after Chicago hit a 3-pointer down the stretch.

"I think mostly we were getting stops and playing in transition, which is when we're good," Hamby said. "And then I think when Ariel kind of got hit, it kind of slowed us down and stopped momentum. They hit a big three, and we probably should have fouled to stop the game, but I would just say just being able to play in transition."

Ariel Atkins took a hit to the ribs and was being evaluated by doctors after the game.

Aicha Coulibaly scored 13 points in her fourth consecutive start, shooting 80% from the field and making all 5 of her free throws. She added 3 rebounds and 1 steal. The 13 points were a career high for the rookie, who passed 100 career points during the game.

Coulibaly said she works on her outside shot every day and has to take it the same way in a game as she does in practice.

"I feel like going downhill is where I'm best at, you know?" Coulibaly said. "And I knew they were going to back up on me. I wasn't going to settle for what they gave me. I just started attacking them and confidently just going up, and it just went my way."

Rachel Banham said she has had to get on Coulibaly about being too hard on herself, and that Coulibaly has been asking questions since day one.

"Yeah, I think, like we said, we depend on our defense so much. You can tell our offense is a lot better when we're playing defense," Banham said. "That's got to be our identity, is to be able to make it hard on the defensive end, and that'll lead to our transition. And even if you're not making shots, we're going to get in the paint, and we're going to get easier looks than having to shoot all outside shots.

"So I felt like we did a good job of that. We stayed composed during their run and never really wavered on our defensive end, and we found ways to score in the paint in the fourth quarter."

Elizabeth Williams scored a season-high 14 points on 63.6% shooting. Over her last six games, Williams has averaged 8.3 points on 62.2% shooting. Vandersloot had 9 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Banham scored 8 points with 3 assists and 3 rebounds in 13 minutes. Chicago's bench outscored Los Angeles' 28-21.

Hamby led the Sparks with 22 points and 14 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season and the 59th of her career. She also had 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. Wheeler scored 14 points and Burrell added 13. Nneka Ogwumike had 10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals, and the third steal was the 700th of her career. She is 11 away from passing Alana Beard for fourth in WNBA history. Cameron Brink scored 11 points with 6 rebounds and 3 blocks in under 15 minutes and went 5-of-5 from the line. Jihyun Park scored 6 points in the second quarter and made both of her 3-point attempts. Monique Akoa Makani scored her first points with Los Angeles on a pull-up jumper with 3:53 left in the first quarter.

Los Angeles outrebounded Chicago 35-29 and led 11-6 in second-chance points.

Sydney Taylor did not play for Chicago because of a groin injury. Marsh said Taylor is day to day and that the team will see how she feels at Friday's practice.

Marsh said Sheldon had the next-most starting experience on the roster this season and gives Chicago another floor spacer.

"Jacy's a pro, man. We missed 15 a game out of Sydney coming into today, and Jacy gave us 15 today," Marsh said. "So she stepped right into that role. She was aggressive from the jump. She took advantage. She didn't force the issue. She always gives that defensive effort as well.

"And so I'm super proud of her. She's a true pro in how she comes prepared and ready every day, and the attitude that she plays with. Doesn't matter if she plays 10 minutes or 20 minutes, she's going to give the same level of effort. So we're happy she's with us."

Cardoso attempted 9 free throws after taking none in Chicago's previous game, when Marsh criticized the officiating on her.

Chicago is 12-19, 8-8 at home, and 10-10 against the Western Conference. The Sky are 3-1 since the All-Star break and 21-32 all-time against Los Angeles, which fell to 11-18.

Indiana won the only previous meeting between the teams this season, 114-106 in overtime. Chicago trails the all-time series 47-29. Kelsey Mitchell leads the Fever at 24.0 points per game. Fever coach Stephanie White was named WNBA Coach of the Month for July.

The Sparks are at Minnesota on Thursday. The Sky host Indiana on Saturday at the United Center, with tip-off at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC. Saturday is Chicago's last game at the United Center this season.