Mystics Drop Season Opener In Tilt With New York (5-14-24)
By: Jaden Golding
Headline Photo Credit: WNBA
Washington D.C- The Washington Mystics dropped its opening game of the 2024 season against the New York Liberty 85-80, in a rematch of the first round of the WNBA Playoffs from last year. Ariel Atkins led Washington with 20 points on 4-7 shooting from behind the arc and three steals.
Washington led after each of the first three quarters and had an eight-point lead entering the fourth. But Washington’s offense would slow up only making two shots in the first five minutes of the quarter. Allowing New York to claw their way back in front leading 75-71. Around the four-minute mark, Washington was behind 77-72 until veteran guard Brittney Sykes went on to score the next eight of her 14 points to put the Mystics within one point trailing 81-80 with two minutes remaining. Those final two minutes would see Washington with prime opportunities to take the game, with the closest coming by a Stefanie Dolson missed in-and-out three-pointer that saw center Shakira Austin swoop in for the offensive rebound off the right side and put it back up for a shot that rimmed just out the basket with just 16 seconds remaining. Forcing the Mystics to intentionally foul Sabrina Ionescu who gave New York a three-point lead. Karlie Samuelson had an opportunity to try and tie the game but her three-pointer fell short all but ending the game with a second or two remaining.
Liberty forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton and center Jonquel Jones were the spark behind its offense accounting for a combined 18 of the Liberty’s 26 fourth-quarter points. They were able to put the Mystics defense on the ropes hurting them driving inside to the rack and hitting jumpshots from around the perimeter.
Austin and Dolson were the other two double-digit scorers for Washington finishing with 13 and 12 points. Lottery Pick Aaliyah Edwards scored six points to go along with two rebounds, and a block in her WNBA debut game for D.C.
