The Spirit’s five-game winning streak is over after it copped a 70-54 thumping from the Adelaide Lightning.

The Lightning showed why it’s regarded as the Women’s National Basketball League championship favourite.

The Spirit were in third place going into the clash, but the result proved they have a long way to go if they’re to challenge the Lightning and Bulleen for the title.

If not for lionhearted performances from Deanna Smith, 20 points and nine rebounds, and Kristi Harrower, 18 points and three assists, the final margin would have been humiliating.

Defensively the Spirit did a good job to restrict the Lightning to 70 points. Offence was a different story, with the Spirit shooting at just 26 per cenft from the field.

Spirit star Tess Madgen had a night to forget. The Opals squad member made just one of her 12 field goal attempts and finished the game with four points.

Centre Gabe Richards was in foul trouble early in the game and didn’t make a field goal for the match.

Lisa Wallbutton battled hard for the Spirit, scoring six points and grabbing eight rebounds.

Adelaide’s twin towers of Suzy Batkovic, 24 points and eight rebounds, and Abby Bishop, 11 points and 13 rebounds, dominated Bendigo.

The Spirit now head to Perth to play the West Coast Waves tomorrow in a clash they can’t afford to drop.