Alana Beard leads Mystics to victory over Sparks

Alana Beard scored 26 points as the Washington Mystics closed the game on a 12-0 run to defeat the Sparks, 75-63, on Saturday night. The Mystics had allowed a 24-point first-half lead to slip away.

Chasity Melvin scored 14 points for the Mystics (6-5), who started a season-high six-game homestand.

Shannon Bobbitt and Betty Lennox each scored 10 points to lead the Sparks (4-7), who fell to 1-6 on the road.

The Sparks were without All-Star Lisa Leslie for the sixth straight game. Candace Parker, playing in her third game after missing much of the season following childbirth, was held to two points.

The Mystics dominated early as Beard scored Washington’s first 13 points.

The Sparks missed 11 of their first 12 shots and scored only two points in the opening 8:25.