The Washington Mystics game against the Connecticut Sun wasn’t just another Sunday afternoon game. It was the day that the Mystics inducted their first Hall of Fame class with franchise legends Vicky Bullett, Chamique Holdsclaw and Murriel Page in a halftime ceremony that coincided with Washington’s first home game in its 25 year history (June 19, 1998).
Bullett, Holdsclaw, and Page also attended the Mystics practice this week and their presence spoke volumes.
“They don’t even have to say anything. Just their presence and having them there is motivation,” Elena Delle Donne said. “This organization is what it is today because of them so the moment they step foot into this place you want to impress them and hold yourself to the highest standard possible.”
With the three Hall of Fame inductees on the sideline for the game as well, the Mystics did not disappoint. After a gut wrenching loss to the New York Liberty, the team bounced back convincingly against the #1 seed in the East with a 71-63 victory. The Sun never held a lead in all four quarters.
The dub snaps a five-game losing streak to Connecticut with the Mystics winning their first game over the Sun since July 28, 2020.
Besides a few mistakes in the last quarter of regulation, Coach Thibault was pleased with his team’s effort. He called it “a special defensive performance.”
The Mystics out-assisted the Sun 21-15 and are now 10-3 when out-assisting opponents this season.Washington held Connecticut to 63 points scored and are now 6-0 on the season when holding teams to less than 70 points.
Additional game notes:
- Mystics forward Elena Delle Donne netted a team-high 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting, adding six rebounds to her stat line.
- Delle Donne has now scored 15+ points in eight total games this season.
- Washington guard Natasha Cloud dished out five assists and has now recorded at least 5+ assists in a franchise record 20 consecutive games dating back to last season.
- This serves as the longest active streak in the WNBA, with the second-longest such streak at six games (Sabrina Ionescu, NYL).
- Additionally, this ties Courtney Vandersloot (CHI) for the third-longest streak in WNBA history. Cloud and Vandersloot are the only players in WNBA history to record 20 consecutive games with 5+ assists.
- Mystics rookie center Shakira Austin hauled in a team-high eight rebounds and has now hauled in 5+ rebounds in seven consecutive games.
- This serves as the longest active streak by any rookie in the WNBA.
- Additionally, this ties Murriel Page (1998) for the fourth-longest streak by a Mystics rookie in franchise history.
- Washington guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough registered 10 points, scoring in double figures for the fourth time this season and for the first time since tallying 11 points on 5/17/22 at DAL.
The Mystics are on the road next with a face-off against the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday at 10:30 p.m.