– by Adesina O. Koiki
A Lot of Sports Talk editor-in-chief
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WASHINGTON — No, the Washington Mystics aren’t considered a serious title threat this season, especially given the form of some of the teams at the top of the WNBA this season. But that doesn’t mean they can’t act like one for a stretch, and the Mystics, in one way, looked like the last title team that graced the nation’s capital.
Shakira Austin poured in 27 points while also grabbing 13 rebounds as the Mystics roared back from a 20-point deficit to stun the Dallas Wings 96-92 inside CareFirst Arena on Wednesday evening. Rookie Cotie McMahon also scored a season-high with 18 points, with 10 of those coming in the fourth quarter where Washington outscored the Wings 24-12 to complete the second-half turnaround.
Washington has won five straight games for the first time since 2019, when the Elena Delle Donne-led Mystics completed the season by winning the WNBA championship.
Washington was down 86-74 with 7:26 remaining before it went on a 12-0 run, capped off by two McMahon free throws with 3:38 left. The Wings took their last lead on the following possession with an Alanna Smith layup, but then McMahon responded with a three-point play as she was fouled making a layup by Paige Bueckers. McMahon’s ensuing free throw gave the Mystics their first lead of the game — and one it woul not relinquish for the contest’s final three minutes.
Austin was one point from her season high, accomplished just five days ago when Washington defeated the Wings in the first of two straight games between the clubs in D.C.
Jessica Shepard led the Wings with 22 points, going 11-for-13 from the field while also adding 11 rebounds and seven assists. Smith added 27 points, but Dallas was undone by the struggles of the UConn pairing of Bueckers and rookie Azzi Fudd. Bueckers, who had 28 points in Friday’s contest, had 17 points but went just 6-for-15 from the field. (She did make three of her six attempts from beyond the arc.) Fudd scored just nine points in 34 minutes as she went just 2-of-8 from the floor.
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