MYSTICS NOTES

• The Washington Mystics (9-5) defeated the Connecticut Sun (8-6) in a 92-80 victory at home. The Mystics now hold a 2-1 edge over the Sun in their regular season matchups
• The Sun started out strong outscoring the Mystics 25-15 in the first quarter. The Mystics then turned things around in the second quarter outscoring the Sun 28-21 bringing the score within three points, 46-43 heading into halftime
• The game featured five lead changes and five ties with the Sun up by as much as 12 and the Mystics up by as much as 17
• The Mystics had a solid third quarter outscoring the Sun 33-15, connecting on 11-of-17 from the field, 5-of-6 from three-point range, and 6-of-9 from the free throw line
• Four Mystics players scored in double-figures led by forward Elena Delle Donne who led all scorers with 25 points, shooting 8-of-13 from the field, 3-of-5 from three-point range, and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line
• Center LaToya Sanders added a career-high 18 points, while guard Kristi Toliver and rookie forward Ariel Atkins added 14 and 13 respectively. Toliver also dished out a game-high eight assists in the Mystics win
• Four Sun players scored in double-figures led by forward Chiney Ogwumike who posted her third double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Guard Jasmine Thomas added 13 points, while guard Alex Bentley and forward Morgan Tuck contributed 13 and 11 points apiece from off the bench
• Connecticut outrebounded Washington 16-8 in the first quarter, tying their season-high for rebounds in a quarter. The Sun also collected 16 rebounds in a quarter against the Mystics back on June 3rd.
• The Sun finished with 41 rebounds in the game. It was the sixth time this season Connecticut has collected 40 or more rebounds.
• The Mystics continue their four-game homestead facing the New York Liberty on Thursday at 7:00pm

MYSTICS HEAD COACH MIKE THIBAULT

On Connecticut being a rival:

“I think it is a rivalry. I mean it’s becoming that way because they’re good again now, and we’re trying to be one of the elite teams and so are they. It has that feel to it when we play them. So the challenge is can you do the little things better than them?”

On what they were able to do to turn things on offensively:

“One of the keys to beating them is getting a good possession every time down the floor and I thought, not so much maybe early, but I thought, once we got past the first quarter, we got good offensive possessions the majority of the time. The one thing we didn’t do as well tonight is we thought we could do a better job at keeping them off the offensive boards. We didn’t do a good job in the first half and for a couple minutes in the third quarter, but then we finished the game decently.”

Mystics Forward Elena Delle Donne

On if today’s game showed the talent that this roster has:

“Definitely. Obviously, they were missing AT [Alyssa Thomas] and she’s a huge piece both offensively and defensively. They are such a great team. It was great to kind of come in here at halftime and get it together defensively and be able to execute it out there.”

On getting it together defensively:

“We had to talk through pick and rolls. They were putting us in a lot of pick and rolls and we were missing the coverages and not doing what we had practiced. We just talked it through here and then we knew we had to get on the boards too because they were killing us on the offensive boards. If we can get stops, we always know that our offense flows really well from there.”

On the rookies, Myisha Hines- Allen and Ariel Atkins:

“It’s like our little babies are out there making us proud. It’s great. We see it every day in practice. We see what they do against our practice guys. We see how strong they are and how quick they are and they are fearless too. They are not afraid of the big moment. It’s always great watching them go off and being so proud.”

MYSTICS FORWARD LATOYA SANDERS

On how she helps teammates prepare for games:

“Our team is so versatile and we have different people that can score on different nights, so whenever it’s your night, you know soak in the moment and just always be ready. You know I have been playing basketball for a long time and I have played in many different roles, where I was a star…when I was coming off the bench, a starter a role player. So you Just have to be ready no matter what position you are put in.”

On how she played against the Connecticut tonight:

“I think I did alright, as long as we win I really don’t care about the individual part of it other than I am happy.”

On changes the Mystics made after the first half:

“I think we were just more aggressive on out pick and roll defense, you know trying to not give up…which Connecticut is good at. I think we just played better team defense and we rebounded the ball.”

MYSTICS LEADERS:
Points: Elena Delle Donne-25
Rebounds: LaToya Sanders -8

Assists: Kristi Toliver – 8
Steals: Toliver – 3

SUN HEAD COACH CURT MILLER

On Alyssa Thomas Injury:

“We struggled, obviously she is our best athletic defender. We play through her in transition, our winning game has to be simulated by the guards all the time, instead of having another pusher, so obviously we are affected by that injury. She is our toughness, she is our best player in a lot of aspects. We have really hurt her, but tonight we hurt ourselves. We really hurt ourselves in the middle quarters.”

On the Mystics pulling away in the first half:

“They congested, and when you don’t have a defensive three second call the entire game, and you feel like they got four or five people in the paint most possessions, they did a good job at congestion around the lane as we were dominating inside early and so it got harder as the game went on of those points in the paint.”

On how condensed schedule affects game planning:

“There’s some people that learn better with reps, There’s some people that can learn through film sessions, but you never get to practice in this league game speed this season, it is just constantly rest. We are in stretch where were playing thirteen games out of sixteen on the road. So it just is what it is, and you know you role the balls out and you play games in this league this year and you hope that you can learn in film session.”

SUN GUARD COURTNEY WILLIAMS

On her confidence coming into tonight’s game:

“I think we always try and keep our confidence high but I think we have been beating ourselves lately. We have been making mistakes as a team that we need to clean up, just our execution, our hustle plays. We have just been getting out hustled.”

On her mindset when she plays in the paint:

“I think I just try and get in where I can fit in. Do what I can for the team, so if that is rebounding, going for loose balls, whatever it is, I always just try and play hard in every aspect of the game.”

On taking a couple of hits during the game and how she feels:

“Beat up, but we have a back to back so I will be alright for the game tomorrow.”

SUN CENTER JONQUEL JONES

On being back in Washington D.C: 

“It always feels good to be back in D.C. The city is like a second home for me besides the Bahamas. It is where I grew up, where I went to college so I love being back in the city.”

On three out of their next four games being against top teams:

“We just need to be able to come away with the win. We just need to be a little more focused. We have shown we can play with anybody. We just have to have to increase our level of intensity and level of focus, and we will be okay.”

On playing as well as she did last year and what her mindset is:

“I think I have the same mindset. Just things have not been going my way recently, and that is just a part of the game. You have to be able to adjust, adapt, and try to make the best of the situation. The good thing is I have great teammates that are around me, and that are behind me, and that keep motivating me and they are allowing me to just get through this point and try to figure out everything.”

SUN LEADERS:
Points: Chiney Ogwumike – 17
Rebounds: Ogwumike – 11

Assists: Alex Bentley-6
Steals: Shekinna Stricklen – 1