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After blowing a 21-point lead in Sin City on Sunday evening, the Washington Mystics (8–12) fell yet again to the Las Vegas Aces (17–9) on Tuesday, 93–83.
Myisha Hines-Allen, who sparkled for 16 points on Sunday, twisted her ankle within the first minute and a half of Tuesday’s tip off. The 26-year-old missed the first half of the season recovering from a knee ailment. She would, however, return later in the frame.
The Mystics went back and forth with one of the WNBA’s top units — the score was locked at 11 apiece after five minutes. And despite a 7–0 run near the end of the first that had Vegas threatening to pull away, Washington kept the deficit at two after 10 minutes played.
The Mystics took their first lead of the game at the 8:19 mark in the second after Tina Charles knocked down an open three. The Aces, though, regained control seconds later.
It took the visitors five minutes, but they edged ahead courtesy of a Sydney Wiese steal and layup. Consecutive 26-foot threes and a buzzer-beater by Charles helped the Mystics to an eight-point halftime lead. The MVP-favorite logged 17 points in the second quarter.
The third treated viewers to a total of five lead changes between two teams that would not quit. The halftime score represented the largest margin of an intense 10 minutes.
A hard-fought contest ultimately skewed in favor of the hosts, as Vegas never trailed in the final period.
Even though her side were swept out of Nevada, Charles notched her ninth 30-point game this season. The W’s leading scorer was aided by 22 points from Ariel Atkins. No other Washington player reached double digits.
The Aces’ depth, on the other hand, was on full display; four of the starting five players scored more than 10, and Kelsey Plum added a team-high 24 off the bench. 2020 MVP A’ja Wilson had 19, while Liz Cambage contributed 15.
The Mystics continue their west-coast tour on Thursday against the Phoenix Mercury. Tip off is at 10 p.m. ET.