Mystics’ Balance Attack Bests Fever, 83-77 (5-28-25)
By: Jaden Golding
Headline Photo Credit: WNBA
BALTIMORE, MD – The Washington Mystics ended their three-game skid against the Indiana Fever on Wednesday evening, 83-77 at CFG Bank Arena. Brittney Sykes led Washington, scoring 21 points along with nine rebounds, four assists, and two blocks.
The Mystics (3-3) tied the game, 39-39, at the 1:23 mark in the second quarter after Sug Sutton made a driving layup. The next offensive possession for Washington, they grabbed the lead after rookie Sonia Citron converted a three-point play. Washington would never relinquish the lead for the rest of the game.
Citron finished with 13 points and seven rebounds. Her fellow rookie co-star Kiki Iriafen scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds. The rookie duo is the first Mystics player in 20 years to finish with double-digit points through their first six career games.
Shakira Austin had a nice showing, scoring 13 points with two steals and a block. Austin displayed a nice presence inside the paint, hitting tough layups, making turnaround jumpers, and stretching out for mid-range jumpers.
Indiana (2-3) was without its star point guard, Caitlyn Clark, who will miss two weeks with a left quad injury. Fever head Coach Stephanie White had previously stated that this was a good opportunity for her team to step up and establish a new identity without Clark in the lineup.
Veteran DeWanna Bonner guided the offense, scoring 21 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field and hitting two shots from beyond the arc. She scored 12 points in the first quarter, leading Indiana to a 23-19 lead. Bonner made WNBA history by becoming the first player to score 7,500 points, grab 3,000 rebounds, and dish out 1,000 assists.
The Fever also had three additional double-figure scorers Kelsey Mitchell (14 points), Natasha Howard (11 points), and Aliyah Boston (10 points).
Washington outscored Indiana 48-32 in the paint. The Mystics also had 17 second-chance points and 11 fast-break points.
Up Next:
Washington welcomes the defending champion New York Liberty at the CareFirst Arena on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
