The Las Vegas Aces and Washington Mystics have something in common as they prepare for Wednesday night’s meeting in Washington.
Both teams are coming off high-scoring outings in victories Monday night.
Las Vegas scored 60 first-half points on the way to a 109-83 road victory in Toronto. A’ja Wilson finished with 26 points to lead the Aces in scoring for the fourth consecutive game and put her league-leading scoring average at 25.6 points per game.
The Aces (18-7) have won three of their last four games.
“We just want to continue to gain momentum,” Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon said. “We’re still in the process of trying to get better. We’re not a championship product yet.”
Washington secured a 90-82 triumph at Golden State to match its highest scoring game that did not go into overtime. The Mystics finished off the victory with 36 fourth-quarter points.
The Mystics (13-12) are scoring a league-low 79.6 points per game, although an 18-3 run late in Monday’s game gave them a much-needed boost.
“This team is sizing up to be one of the mentally toughest teams I’ve ever coached,” Mystics coach Sydney Johnson said. “It’s inspiring. There’s a togetherness and toughness that we’re rooted in.”
Kiki Iriafen poured in 23 points on Monday after managing a combined eight points in her previous two games. She has reached at least 23 points in three of her last eight games.
Keeping the Aces under control will be vital for the Mystics. Las Vegas is third in the WNBA in scoring at 90.7 points per game.
“We’re fortunate to have the third-best defense in the league,” Johnson said.
Las Vegas connected on 14 shots from 3-point range Monday, while Wilson was 3-of-3 from long range.
“Even for (Wilson), it makes her off the dribble even more dangerous,” Hammon said of the ability for her star player to stretch out defenses.
Sonia Citron is Washington’s top scorer at 17.0 points per outing — a number she matched against Golden State.
The Mystics are 3-3 in home games across the past month.
This will mark the first meeting of the season between the teams, who will face each other three times across a stretch of about three weeks.
–Field Level Media
