Shakira Austin scored 25 points and delivered the game-winning three-point play with 12.8 seconds remaining as the Washington Mystics stunned the Las Vegas Aces 100-99 on Wednesday night.
Austin grabbed an offensive rebound off Sonia Citron's missed driving layup and converted the putback while drawing a foul, capping a furious fourth-quarter comeback from nine points down with four minutes to play. The 6-foot-5 center scored 11 of her 25 points in the final frame.
Citron finished with 20 points for Washington (13-13), which improved to .500 heading into the All-Star break. Lauren Betts added 13 points off the bench, Kiki Iriafen recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and both Michaela Onyenwere and Georgia Amoore contributed 10 points apiece.
A'ja Wilson dominated for Las Vegas (18-8) with 38 points on 12-of-16 shooting, making 12 of 13 free throws. But her lone miss from the stripe came with 17 seconds left — a critical miss that kept the door open for Austin's heroics. Jackie Young added 24 points and Chelsea Gray chipped in 19.
The Aces led 87-78 midway through the fourth quarter and seemed firmly in control, but the Mystics chipped away relentlessly. Citron's pair of free throws with 43 seconds left pulled Washington within 96-95, setting the stage for Austin's decisive offensive rebound and three-point play.
Washington led 46-45 at halftime. Las Vegas shot 55 percent from the field compared to 49 percent for the Mystics, but the Aces were dominated on the glass 34-24, including a staggering 12-4 deficit on offensive rebounds — a telling stat that ultimately decided the game.
The win sends the Mystics into the All-Star break at 13-13, while the Aces sit two games behind the league-leading Minnesota Lynx.
Sources
- https://apnews.com/article/aces-mystics-score-e52417467cacdda120d4c2d0824b241a
