Washington, DC — Shakira Austin delivered a strong all-around performance with 14 points and 11 rebounds, leading the Washington Mystics to a gritty 69–58 victory over the Seattle Storm on Saturday night.
The win marks an impressive defensive effort for the Mystics, who limited the Storm to fewer than 15 points in each of the final three quarters. Despite scoring just nine points in the fourth, Washington held firm when it mattered most.
Seattle (15–11) opened the final period with a burst of energy, capitalizing on a six-minute scoring drought by the Mystics. A quick 11–0 run trimmed what had been a 15-point deficit down to just four, 60–56, with under four minutes remaining.
But Washington (12–12) regained control when rookie forward Kiki Iriafen split a pair of free throws and followed with a layup to stretch the lead to seven. Brittney Sykes sealed the win with two late driving buckets, giving the Mystics a 67–58 cushion with under a minute left.
Sykes and Sonia Citron each added 11 points for Washington, while Sug Sutton provided a spark off the bench with 13 points, including a pivotal stretch in the second quarter that helped turn the game around. The Mystics shot 44% from the field and tallied 20 assists on 29 made baskets.
Seattle struggled with efficiency all night, shooting just 33% from the floor and 24% from three-point range (5-of-21). The Storm were also outrebounded 44–28.
Nneka Ogwumike led Seattle with 18 points—all scored in the first half. Erica Wheeler contributed 12 points, and Ezi Magbegor had a brief highlight in the second quarter, hitting a jumper that gave the Storm an early eight-point lead.
But Washington responded with a 14–2 run, sparked by Sutton, to take the lead late in the second quarter. The Mystics went into halftime up 40–35 and never trailed again.
Next Up:
The Mystics host the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday.
The Storm head to Connecticut for a matchup with the Sun on Monday.
