Mystics Set Franchise Wins Record Behind Austin’s 25 and 13 in Win Over Sun

WASHINGTON — Shakira Austin scored 25 points, grabbed a game-high-tying 13 rebounds and added a season-high four steals as the Washington Mystics beat the Connecticut Sun 79-69 Tuesday night at CareFirst Arena.

The win was Washington’s 27th of the season, a franchise record that surpasses the 26 wins posted by the 2019 WNBA champion Mystics. Washington (27-16) also raised its season rebounding total to 1,615, setting the WNBA single-season record previously held by the 2025 Atlanta Dream (1,609). The Mystics have won three straight, are 3-0 in September and finished the season series against Connecticut (10-33) with a 3-1 record.

Washington shot 38% from the field, slightly below Connecticut’s 38.9%, and the Sun held a 43-34 rebounding edge and a 21-13 advantage in assists. Turnovers decided the game. Connecticut committed 18, which Washington converted into 28 points. The Mystics turned the ball over six times, leading to two Sun points. Washington also made 19 of 25 free throws, while Connecticut went 8 of 12.

Austin shot 7 of 14 from the field and 11 of 15 from the free-throw line, with 13 of her points coming in the second half. She is the third player this season to record at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and four steals in a game, joining A’ja Wilson (twice) and Angel Reese. It was the first such performance of Austin’s career, and she is the second Mystics player to accomplish it, after Crystal Langhorne on June 24, 2010.

Austin, a contender for All-WNBA, All-Defense, Most Improved Player and Defensive Player of the Year, now has 722 points this season, the first 700-point season in Mystics history. She has also recorded 397 rebounds, 106 assists and 53 blocks. That makes her the third player in WNBA history with a season of at least 700 points, 350 rebounds, 100 assists and 50 blocks, joining Wilson (2025, an MVP season, and 2026) and Breanna Stewart (2023, also an MVP season).

The game was Austin’s 20th double-double of the season and 34th of her career. She joins teammate Kiki Iriafen, who has 22, as the only players in franchise history with that many point-rebound double-doubles in one season. They are also the first teammates in WNBA history to each record 20 or more double-doubles in the same season. It was Austin’s fifth game this season with at least 25 points and 10 rebounds, making her the third Mystics player with five or more in a season. The others are Tina Charles, with nine in 2021, and Elena Delle Donne, with five in both 2018 and 2019.

Austin extended her franchise-record streak of games with at least 10 points and five rebounds to 25. That ties Lisa Leslie for the seventh-longest single-season streak in WNBA history. Austin is the seventh player to reach 25 consecutive games, joining Delle Donne, Sylvia Fowles, Leslie, Candace Parker, Stewart and Wilson.

The first half featured 11 ties and three lead changes. Washington led 23-16 after the first quarter. Connecticut outscored the Mystics 26-21 in the second quarter, with Diamond Miller scoring 11 points in the period, and led by as many as four. Cotie McMahon gave Washington the lead for good with a fast-break layup with 1:16 left in the half and hit a 3-pointer with 49 seconds remaining to help the Mystics take a 44-42 halftime lead.

Washington pulled away in the third quarter. Connecticut committed six turnovers in the period, and the Mystics turned them into 11 points. Washington went from a 48-47 lead to 66-53 on a 27-foot 3-pointer by McMahon with 2:05 left in the quarter. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton added a 3-pointer during the stretch. The Mystics outscored the Sun 22-16 in the quarter and led by as many as 14 in the fourth, first on an Austin jumper that made it 77-63 and again on a Georgia Amoore layup that made it 79-65.

McMahon finished with 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting off the bench. It was the ninth double-figure game of her career and her seventh as a reserve, tying her for the third-most 10-point games off the bench among rookies. Sonia Citron, an All-WNBA and All-Defense candidate, added 12 points, five rebounds and two steals and finished a game-high plus-18. It was her sixth game this season, and 10th of her career, with at least 10 points, five rebounds and multiple steals.

Rookie Lauren Betts tied her career high with four blocks, three of them in the fourth quarter. She has 37 blocks this season, the most among rookies, which ties Stefanie Dolson’s 2014 mark for the most by a Mystics rookie. Amoore scored eight points and shared the team lead in assists with Citron at three each.

Miller led Connecticut with 19 points, six rebounds and three blocks. Aaliyah Edwards added 13 rebounds, and Raegan Beers and Leila Lacan each scored 11 points.

The Mystics host the Chicago Sky on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7:30 p.m.