Mystics 70, Dream 72

NOTEWORTHY:

  • The Mystics suffered another heartbreaking loss, losing 70-72 to the Atlanta Dream in the final 0.9 seconds of the game off of a jump shot from Dream forward Sancho Lyttle.
  • The Mystics were outrebounded 38-33 in an intense match-up that featured 11 lead changes and 13 ties. The Mystics led by as much as six while the Dream led by as much as seven.
  • The Mystics were led by guard Matee Ajavon who led all scorers with 28 points, 17 coming in the second half and fourth quarter alone. This is the third consecutive game where Ajavon has scored double digits and led all scorers.
  • Mystics forward Crystal Langhorne attempted a career-high 20 shot attempts, finishing with 23 points. Langhorne shot 7-for-8 from the free throw line and pulled down seven rebounds.
  • The Dream were led by forward Angel McCoughtry who scored 19 points, dished out five assists, and collected four steals. McCoughtry shot 10-for-11 from the free throw line. Dream center Erika DeSouza added 18 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocked shots as the Dream went on to win their second consecutive game.

    WASHINGTON MYSTICS HEAD COACH TRUDI LACEY:

    Overall thoughts on the game:
    �Really, really hard fought game. I think we continue to improve. I think they are just learning to play with a lead and clock management, making plays down the stretch have hurt us. I think our team just continues to fight and continues to get better and learn to play together and develop that killer instinct� Truthfully we missed a lot of lay-ups earlier on which would�ve stretched the lead. I told the team when you have those opportunities you have to seize those moments.�

    On Matee Ajavon�s performance:
    �Matee [Ajavon] is playing very well. [Crystal] Langhorne had an exceptional game so we keep finding the pieces. But we are a young team and fairly new at playing together for a while and it shows when we play teams that have played together for a while but what I ask of them is to continue to work hard and stay together and continue to get better and eventually good things are going to happen for us.� WASHINGTON MYSTICS GUARD MATEE AJAVON:

    On the fourth quarter fight:
    �It was a tough game, another buzzer beater. We just need to take this and learn and grown as a team.�

    On growing from tough losses:
    �We�re at the point where we either have it or we don�t. We continue to grow as a team but as the games grow lesser and lesser, we need to learn our lesson.�

    On aggression in the fourth quarter:
    �We need to be aggressive, but it doesn't matter if we don't get the win.�

    WASHINGTON MYSTICS FORWARD CRYSTAL LANGHORNE:

    On the fourth quarter rally::
    �We kept fighting. We didn�t play well offensively. We still had a chance to win the game and we had a shot to win the game and it didn�t go our way.�

    On Matee Ajavon�s play in the fourth quarter:
    �She definitely made some good shots and gave us some good baskets. She really got us going with the lead and got us up there then we couldn�t pull it out as a team.�

    On individual play:
    �I�m just always trying to be aggressive. I missed a lot of easy shots today so I really didn�t have my way.�

    Mystics at a glance:
    Points: Matee Ajavon - 28
    Rebounds: Marissa Coleman -10
    Assists: Nicky Anosike - 4
    Steals: Anosike - 5

    ATLANTA DREAM HEAD COACH MARYNELL MEADORS:

    Overall thoughts on game:
    �I thought it was a hard fought game and there were a lot of mistakes made on both teams and it was probably the ugliest third quarter from both teams that I�ve seen in a long long time. But we scored a lot of points in the last minute-and-a-half. Both teams never gave up and the Mystics don�t have anything to hold their head down about. They did fight hard and probably should have won the game. But crazy things happen in this league and you never know when your opportunity is going to present itself and we got an opportunity to win and we did. �

    ATLANTA DREAM FORWARD SANCHO LYTTLE:

    On her last second shot:
    �It was just one shot and if I didn�t make it, I knew we had another five minutes to play. Then we were supposed to run an out of bounds play that we all got tangled in and we ran, I don�t know what we ran, stack or something. Armintie (Price) drove towards the basket and Langhorne picked her up and she dished it to me.�

    ATLANTA DREAM GUARD LINDSEY HARDING:

    On Matee Ajavon being in contention for Most Improved Player:
    �Matee is still Matee. She�s just never had her opportunity. She�s worked really hard and she�s been very patient and it says a lot about her for waiting her turn and waiting her time and this is her time. She�s definitely walking through that door. She gets my vote for it because she�s worked extremely hard and she deserves it.�

    Dream at a glance:
    Points:Angel McCoughtry - 19
    Rebounds: Erika DeSouza - 12
    Assists: McCoughtry - 5
    Steals:McCoughtry - 4

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