Mystics Set Franchise Block Record Behind Shakira Austin’s Dominant Performance

The Washington Mystics defeated the Atlanta Dream 79-74 on Friday night at CareFirst Arena, improving to 18-12 on the season while Atlanta fell to 19-12.

Washington controlled much of the contest, taking a 19-13 lead after the opening quarter before extending its advantage to 42-30 at halftime. The Mystics carried a 62-46 lead into the fourth quarter before the Dream mounted a late rally, outscoring Washington 28-17 in the final period. Despite Atlanta’s push, the Mystics held on to secure the five-point victory.

The Mystics shot 46.8% (29-of-62) from the field compared to 32.5% (25-of-77) for the Dream. Washington also finished with a 46-40 rebounding advantage and matched a season high with 12 blocked shots while both teams committed 18 turnovers.

Shakira Austin led Washington with 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting, 11 rebounds, five blocks and three assists, recording her 13th double-double of the season. Kiki Iriafen added 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals, while Sonia Citron scored 14 points. Cotie McMahon finished with 11 points, Cassandre Prosper added a career-high 10 points, and Lauren Betts grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds to go with three blocks off the bench.

Atlanta was paced by Allisha Gray’s game-high 26 points. Rhyne Howard added 19 points, including four three-pointers, while Angel Reese collected 16 rebounds and seven points. Jordin Canada contributed nine points and a game-high seven assists.

Washington’s defense made history during the win. The Mystics established a new franchise record with 12 blocked shots, the highest single-game total by any WNBA team this season. Austin recorded five blocks, while Betts added three and Prosper finished with two.

The victory extended Washington’s winning streak to six games, tying the second-longest single-season winning streak in franchise history and marking the longest active winning streak in the WNBA. The Mystics also improved to 4-0 since the All-Star break and secured the 2026 regular-season series against Atlanta, 2-1.