Shakira Austin dominated once again as her double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds extended the Washington Mystics’ league-best win streak to seven games in a 95-75 victory over the visiting Phoenix Mercury Sunday afternoon.
Austin has scored in double figures in 13 consecutive games and notched double-doubles in four straight as the Mystics (19-12) recorded their largest margin of victory during their current streak.
Sonia Citron finished with 19 points and six assists while Michaela Onyenwere (13), Cotte McMahon (13) and Kiki Iriafen (12) also scored in double figures for Washington, which has won nine of its last 11 overall.
Alyssa Thomas recorded 10 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for the Mercury (12-22), who have dropped three in a row.
Kahleah Copper led Phoenix with 15 points. Noemie Brochant scored 13 and DeWanna Bonner added 10 points for Phoenix, which is 1-3 on its five-game road swing.
Kelsey Plum played 14 minutes in the first half but did not play in the second due to tightness in her left calf. She scored five points.
Washington led 21-20 after one quarter but opened the second on a 9-0 run as Lauren Betts corralled a rebound and put a shot back up for a 30-20 lead with 7:52 to play.
Bonner ended the run with a 3-pointer less than 20 seconds later, and despite trailing by 14 at one point, the Mercury cut the deficit in half at 38-31 with 3:30 to go on a layup by Thomas.
With a minute left in the half, however, the Mystics had their lead back to 14 after McMahon’s layup pushed it to 48-34. Washington led 50-37 at halftime.
The Mystics opened the second half on a 12-0 run, punctuated by Austin’s 3-pointer with 7:15 to go in the period that made the score 62-37.
Bonner’s 3-pointer moments later put an end to the cold start for the Mercury, but the Mystics never lost control of the momentum and led 73-51 heading to the fourth.
One of the key factors in the win was Washington’s 42-30 advantage in points in the paint. The Mystics also outrebounded the Mercury by seven and turned 10 offensive boards into 11 second-chance points.
–Field Level Media
