Shakira Austin scored 21 points as the Washington Mystics rallied past the visiting Atlanta Dream for another dramatic victory, winning 81-76 on Thursday night.
Kiki Iriafen notched 14 points and 10 rebounds, Alicia Florez provided 13 points and seven assists off the bench and Georgia Amoore added 11 points for the Mystics, who overcame a double-digit second-half deficit and finally went ahead with less than five minutes remaining.
Washington (10-9) overcame 28 turnovers but benefited from 55.4% shooting from the floor, including 56.2% (9 of 16) from 3-point range.
The turnover total tied the highest figure by a WNBA team in a game this season.
The Mystics were coming off a 124-123 quadruple-overtime victory against the Portland Fire on Sunday.
Rhyne Howard poured in 24 points, but the Dream (12-8) lost their fourth game in a row. Allisha Gray tacked on 17 points, Angel Reese supplied 13 points and 13 rebounds and Jordin Canada had 10 points. Howard made five of Atlanta’s seven 3-point baskets, but she shot just 8 for 20 overall.
After trailing by nine at halftime, Washington found a spark in the third quarter, pulling within two points twice before trailing 60-56 going to the fourth quarter. By then, the Mystics had made 6 of 10 attempts from 3-point range.
Amoore made two free throws with 11.4 seconds to play to give Washington an 80-76 edge. The Mystics pumped in 49 second-half points.
Austin shot 9-for-14 from the field and also pulled in nine rebounds and blocked three shots.
The Mystics, who improved to 4-4 at home this season, were held to nine second-quarter points, and they were down 41-32 at halftime.
Atlanta shot 2-for-15 on first-half 3-point attempts, and though Washington hit 58.3% from the floor in the half, the Mystics were hampered by 19 turnovers.
The Dream scored 18 points in slightly more than four minutes to open the game. The contest was barely five minutes old and the Mystics had committed seven turnovers.
Yet despite 10 first-quarter turnovers, Washington pulled ahead 23-22 by the end of the quarter when Alicia Florez sank a free throw in the final seconds.
Atlanta began the second quarter on a 10-2 run on the way to a 10-point lead.
–Field Level Media
