Mystics Use Dominant Third Quarter to Defeat Sun 92-84

The Washington Mystics erased a seven-point first-quarter deficit before taking control in the second half to defeat the Connecticut Sun 92-84 on Tuesday night at CareFirst Arena.

The victory improved Washington to 15-12 on the season and extended the Mystics’ winning streak to three games, matching their longest streak of the year. Connecticut fell to 7-21.

Connecticut came out strong offensively, scoring 33 points in the opening quarter behind a hot shooting start. Aneesah Morrow led the charge with 14 first-quarter points, while Olivia Nelson-Ododa added eight and Kennedy Burke knocked down a pair of three-pointers as the Sun took a 33-26 lead after one.

Washington responded in the second quarter, outscoring Connecticut 28-21 to send the game into halftime tied at 54. Sonia Citron scored 17 first-half points, while Shakira Austin added eight and Kiki Iriafen contributed seven as the Mystics erased the early deficit.

The game turned in the third quarter. Washington held Connecticut to just 10 points while scoring 25 of its own to take a 79-64 lead into the final period. Iriafen and Austin each scored seven points during the quarter, while the Mystics limited the Sun to 4-of-14 shooting from the field and forced four turnovers.

Connecticut outscored Washington 20-13 in the fourth quarter but was unable to overcome the deficit. Diamond Miller scored seven of her 12 points in the final frame, while Kennedy Burke added five points as the Sun cut into the lead before the Mystics secured the eight-point victory.

Morrow finished with a game-high 21 points, connecting on four three-pointers, while Nelson-Ododa added 16 points and six rebounds. Miller scored 12 points, Saniya Rivers and Kennedy Burke each finished with 11, and Leila Lacan contributed nine points and a game-high eight assists.

Citron led Washington with 22 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line while adding two blocked shots. Iriafen posted 20 points and a game-high 10 rebounds for her 13th double-double of the season, and Austin added 17 points and six rebounds. Cotie McMahon scored 11 points off the bench, while Georgia Amoore finished with eight points and a team-high five assists.

Washington finished the game shooting 43.3% from the field, 50.0% from three-point range, and 84.8% from the free-throw line. Connecticut shot 41.3% from the field and 44.0% from beyond the arc but converted 61.1% of its free throws. The Mystics also controlled the glass, outrebounding the Sun 41-29, including a 14-8 advantage on the offensive boards, and outscored Connecticut 44-32 in the paint.

The win marked Washington’s third consecutive victory to open the second half of the season. It was also the eighth time this season the Mystics had three players score at least 15 points, as Citron (22), Iriafen (20) and Austin (17) all reached the mark. Washington recorded its 12th game with at least 40 rebounds this season, the most in the WNBA and the highest single-season total in franchise history.