Mystics 70, Sky 71

NOTEWORTHY:

  • -The Mystics dropped their fourth consecutive game in a heartbreaking loss in the final seconds against the Chicago Sky, dropping to 5-19 overall and 3-10 at home at the Verizon Center
  • -The Mystics were led by guard Matee Ajavon who scored 23 points, shooting 7-for-13 from the field and 8-for-12 from the free throw line. Ajavon also dished out four assists for the Mystics
  • -Mystics forward Marissa Coleman shot 4-for-9 from the field and connected on 3-for-5 from three point range, posting 11 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Forward Crystal Langhorne shot 8-for-14 from the field and pulled down five rebounds for the Mystics
  • -Mystics forward/center Nicky Anosike posted a career high eight steals (previously seven) and collected nine rebounds in 29 minutes of play. Five of her eight steals came in the fourth quarter alone.
  • -Despite shooting .500 from three point range, the Mystics tied a season low 10 three point attempts
  • -The Mystics outrebounded the Sky 35-28 in a competitive game that featured 18 lead changes and eight ties. The Sky and Mystics both led by as much as six points
  • -The Sky were led by center Sylvia Fowles who scored 25 points, shooting 11-for-17 from the field. Fowles also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, posting her 17th double-double of the season
  • -Sky forward Tamera Young added 11 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished out four assists for the Sky. Young also recorded a career high in steals, collecting seven (previously five)
  • -Sky reserve forward Cathrine Kraayeveld shot 5-for-7 from the field and 4-for-5 from three point range, contributing 14 points from off the bench

    WASHINGTON MYSTICS HEAD COACH TRUDI LACEY:

    Overall thoughts on the game:
    �I really thought that we played well enough to win. It was an overall team effort. I felt like we competed. That is what I ask of them, to go out and give it their best and to compete every night and to fight for forty minutes. I thought we did that tonight.�

    On the second half:
    �We made some adjustments on (Sylvia) Fowles. We had made some mental errors on defense so we cleaned that up so we were able to get some stops. We executed offensively in the second half. Really, I think we did everything but win the game. We had free throws at the end that could have iced it, but that didn�t happen. I thought overall we played very well. �

    WASHINGTON MYSTICS GUARD KELLY MILLER:

    How did the number of turnovers by the Chicago Sky work to the advantage of the Mystics?
    �I think we were pretty destructive on defense the entire game. That was our game plan, to set the tone defensively and we did that for the most point.�

    Key to defensive strategies to make Chicago run down their shot clock:
    �I think we wanted to put a lot of pressure on them, on the ball. We didn�t want to make it easy for them and we did a pretty good job on that.�

    WASHINGTON MYSTICS GUARD JASMINE THOMAS:

    Overall Thoughts on the game:
    �We fought hard. We did some good things and executed hard. We did our game plan at times and I think it just came down to a play at the end.�

    On combating the number of turnovers by the Mystics:
    �It is just people trying to make plays, I think that is the best part of it but it is just being smart enough to read the defense and make the right play at the right time.�

    On fourth quarter adjustments to break away with the lead and a possible win:
    �Just staying aggressive, not trying to play safe and doing our best on keeping the pressure on Fowles and making her work for everything she got inside.�

    Mystics at a glance:
    Points: Matee Ajavon - 23
    Rebounds: Nicky Anosike -9
    Assists: Ajavon, Jasmine Thomas - 4
    Steals: Anosike - 8

    CHICAGO SKY HEAD COACH POKEY CHATMAN:

    Overall thoughts on game:
    �When you get to the end of it, obviously there are some things that we did not do well. The execution at the end of the game is important. We always talk about the end of the game. I�m just happy we were able to sustain some stuff on the road, where we�ve struggled regardless who we�ve played. We�ve always talked about this team [Washington] ever since they played Indiana, when they lost to Indiana in a last second shot. They are right there in games. The tightness of tonight�s game was really no surprise, I am just thankful for how it ended.�

    Thoughts on Matee Ajavon�s improvements:
    �I voted for Matee [Ajavon] to be on the All-Star team, I�ll put it out there right now. We look at the entries they had and the quality of players they had catapulted into a position where you have to carry people and you are the focal point of the defense. But on top of that, she plays defense, she plays transition, she rebound and she sustains that. She sustained that more than when Crystal [Langhorne] went down. She�s a tremendous player; I have always thought that ever since her teenage years. The scary thing is that she will only get better."

    CHICAGO SKY CENTER SYLVIA FOWLES:

    Overall thoughts on the game:
    �For the most part we try to stay focused. We didn�t do a lot of things well in this game. A w[in] is a w[in] to me. We need to look at things we did well and things we didn�t do well and just get ready for the next game.�

    Thoughts on Matee Ajavon's improvements:
    �She�s been playing well. She has had so much growth while playing in the WNBA and I think that she can only get better. More power to her and I hope she will exceed her potential.�

    Sky at a glance:
    Points:Sylvia Fowles - 25
    Rebounds: Fowles - 11
    Assists: Tamera Young, Epiphanny Prince - 4
    Steals:Young - 7

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