The Washington Mystics are one victory away from turning a potentially miserable season into a successful one.

After opening 2007 with eight consecutive losses, the Mystics can clinch the Eastern Conference's fourth and final playoff spot with a home win Thursday over the New York Liberty.

Washington (15-17) beat visiting Connecticut 65-64 Tuesday to move 1 1/2 games ahead of fifth-place New York (13-18) - which lost 77-65 at Chicago the same night - for the conference's final postseason berth.

A victory over New York on Thursday would secure a second straight playoff berth for the Mystics, who close the regular season at Connecticut on Sunday.

A New York win would keep the Liberty's playoff hopes alive with two more games to play - at home versus the Sun on Friday and Chicago on Sunday. The Liberty are trying to avoid missing the playoffs for the second year in a row.

Washington, though, seemingly has the easier path after Alana Beard scored 18 of her 28 points in the fourth quarter Tuesday as the Mystics avoided a third straight loss.

The Mystics are 15-9 since the 0-8 start, during which veteran coach Richie Adubato resigned and was replaced by Tree Rollins.

"A lot of people didn't think we would get in the playoffs, so after (securing a postseason berth), then we start talking about a championship," said Beard, who's averaging 26.5 points in her last two contests.

Beard had 24 points in Washington's 80-68 home win over New York on Aug. 3 in the teams' most recent meeting. She's averaging 21.3 in three games against the Liberty this season.

Though New York has won two of three contests against Washington this season, it will try to avoid a fifth straight road loss to the Mystics. The Liberty have not won in Washington since posting a 77-68 victory on June 1, 2005.

New York, the lowest-scoring team in the league at 71.2 points per game, turned the ball over 21 times Tuesday and dropped to 1-12 when scoring below 71 points.

"You have to forget (the loss)," New York coach Pat Coyle said. "We have to win out right now. That's what it comes down to."

Jessica Davenport scored 14 points and Janel McCarville and Shameka Christon each had 11 for the Liberty, who have lost 10 of their last 13 contests.

Christon, who averages a team-high 11.0 points per game, led the Liberty in scoring in both wins over Washington this season and is averaging 13.3 points in the three games against the Mystics.