Emily Engstler scored a career-high 23 points off the bench and Stefanie Dolson produced a double-double as the Washington Mystics rolled over the visiting Dallas Wings 97-69 on Saturday.
Engstler shot 7-of-11 from the floor and was 6-for-6 from the free-throw line while Dolson finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Karlie Samuelson hit three triples and poured in 17 for the Mystics (3-13), who won for only the second time at home this season.
Ariel Atkins scored seven points for Washington and moved into fourth all-time on the franchise’s scoring list (2,556).
The Wings (3-12) dropped their 10th consecutive game despite 19 points from Natasha Howard and 16 from Jacy Sheldon. Kalani Brown chipped in 13. Dallas turned the ball over 22 times.
Depth was a difference as the Mystics held a 51-17 advantage in bench points, an effort fueled largely by Engstler, who was 3-for-4 from beyond the arc and also pulled down nine rebounds.
Engstler set the tone early in the first of back-to-back games between the teams, who play again in Washington on Sunday.
The No. 4 pick of the 2022 WNBA Draft scored 10 first-quarter points, including a three-pointer that stretched the Mystics’ advantage to 16-10 with 3:26 left in the opening quarter.
Two free throws by Shatori Walker-Kimbrough with 0.1 seconds remaining gave Washington a 20-13 lead at the end of the first.
Walker-Kimbrough gave the Mystics their first double-digit edge at 24-13 after knocking down a shot just inside the 3-point arc with 9:15 to go in the half.
That shot was part of a dominant second quarter for Washington, which led by 18 after Samuelson drilled an open 3-pointer with 1:40 to play for a 49-31 cushion. She then hit a jumper to extend the advantage to 51-31 with 1:11 left.
Sheldon knocked down a 3-pointer with 58.2 seconds left to momentarily slow the Mystics’ momentum, but Dallas went into the half trailing 51-34.
Washington led 73-51 going into the fourth.
–Field Level Media
