The Washington Mystics blew past the New York Liberty for a victory, 101-72 Sunday afternoon. All Mystics players scored in this 29-point victory and this was the fifth time the team scored 100 or more points in a game this season.
Mystic forward Elena Delle Donne led with a team-high 22 points and 10 rebounds, followed behind by Tianna Hawkins with 15 points, 12 of which came in the second half. Including Hawkins’ 15 points, Washington’s bench poured in 50 points.
Washington got big contribution from Emma Meesseman who chipped in 14 points and set the pace for the Mystics. Aerial Powers who has been stepping in for the injured guard Kristi Toliver had 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists for the Mystics.
New York Liberty Kia Nurse had a game-high 24 points on 40% (8-20) shooting from the field and 60% (6-10) from the beyond the arc while Tina Charles and Bria Harley both chipped in 16 points.
The Mystics owned the game from start as they jumped out to a 31-14 lead in the first quarter resulting in a 47-31-halftime lead. The Mystics came out in the third with the same intensity and outscored the Liberty 29-16 pretty much sealed the game for the Mystics. Washington drained threes from beyond the arc and kept the Liberty defense at bay.
The Mystics who pushed the tempo from the very start of the game dominated the first quarter. To close the opening quarter, Washington went on an 18-4 spurt to give them a 17-point advantage and had the Liberty looking for answers.
The Mystics led by double-digits for the remainder of the game.
Rebecca Allen opened the second quarter with a two-point jumper for the Liberty sparking a 6-0 Liberty run. Both teams traded baskets before New York was scoreless for more than two minutes at the end of the second quarter. New York went into the locker room down 16 after being down as many as 18 in the first half.
The Liberty forced a shot clock violation and scored on the other end of the floor to open the third quarter. Back-to-back points by Tina Charles put New York within 14 points before Delle Donne hit a long two on the left baseline.
Two consecutive three-point shots later Washington quickly went up by 22 points with 6:26 left in the third. The Mystics poured it on in the fourth quarter and went up 29 on the Liberty.
Despite tying the fourth quarter in scoring, NY was too far behind and gassed to make a significant comeback in the contest.
UP NEXT: The Liberty is headed home to New York for a four game home stand beginning with the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday, August 27 at 7 p.m. ET.
LIBERTY NOTES:
- New York shot 37.5% from the field and 42.1% from beyond the arc.
- The Liberty started Kia Nurse, Tanisha Wright, Bria Hartley, Amanda Zahui B and Tina Charles. For the second consecutive game, New York started Amanda Zauhi B.
- Kia Nurse scored 24 points, making 6 of 10 from 3-point range. Nurse set a new career high in three-point field goals made with six.
- Bria Hartley and Tina Charles added 16 points apiece.
- Tina Charles has scored double figures in the last eight of nine games. She had 16 points on 53.8% (7-13) shooting from the field.
- Rebecca Allen added nine points off of the bench on 50% shooting from the field.
