Sonia Citron made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 12.2 seconds left in overtime and the host Washington Mystics held off the Dallas Wings 91-88 in a back-and-forth contest Sunday afternoon.
Following a missed free throw by Citron late in the fourth quarter, Dallas star Paige Bueckers laced her first 3-pointer of the night and tied the game at 84. Washington was unable to convert on two late shots, sending the game into overtime.
Bueckers scored the first four overtime points, but Shakira Austin matched her with Washington’s first four points. Citron broke the tie with her fourth three of the game, off an assist by Austin, and Washington held on.
Citron led the way with 27 points, 11 rebounds and 4-for-7 shooting from three for Washington (6-8). Austin poured in 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds, and was a game-high plus-22 when on the court.
Kiki Iriafen had 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists and five steals for the Mystics, and Sug Sutton scored 15 on perfect 4-for-4 shooting.
The game reversed recent trends for both teams. For Dallas (3-12), Arike Ogunbowale led with 27 points after she struggled from the field in Friday’s game at Connecticut. Bueckers was quiet in the first half, but hit nearly every clutch basket for Dallas, finishing with 20 points.
Washington dug itself into early holes in its two most recent games, but established itself quickly Sunday.
The Mystics jumped out to a quick 11-1 lead powered by Sutton. The guard drained a stepback three to open up the scoring for Washington, then stole the ball from Aziaha James and dished it to Iriafen for a three-point play.
Stout defense — the Wings shot 2-for-14 from the field — and solid shooting swelled the Washington lead to 27-14 by quarter’s end.
Ogunbowale racked up seven quick points in the second period as Dallas narrowed its deficit. The Mystics also fell into foul trouble. Washington received two technical fouls, gave up three-point plays to Ogunbowale and Bueckers and relinquished its lead by halftime, as the Wings moved ahead 45-40.
After attempting only two field goals in the first half, Bueckers started more aggressively with four attempts in the first four minutes of the second half. She scored six in the quarter for a 69-62 Dallas lead after three.
Ogunbowale scored the Wings’ first six points of the fourth quarter, but Washington narrowed the lead to 75-74. Iriafen scored a layup with about two minutes left in regulation to give the Mystics their first lead since 3:49 in the second quarter.
DiJonai Carrington, Dallas’ third-leading scorer on the season, was out with a rib injury.
–Field Level Media
