Mystics at Sun Postgame Notes
May 18, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Washington Mystics News Release
May 18, 2025
Mystics 90 - Sun 85
High Points High Rebounds High Assists
Mystics (90) Sykes (27) Iriafen (14) Sykes (7)
Sun (85) Charles (23) Charles (10) Allen (8)
Please see the attached game book for a full box score and breakdown of this afternoon's game.
Mystics Game Notes:
Head Coach Sydney Johnson became the first Mystics head coach since Julie Plank (2009) to win their first two games in their debut season.
The Mystics outscored the Sun by 10 points in the fourth quarter, securing a 90-85 win. Washington outpaced Connecticut 77-62 over the final three quarters.
After trailing by 10 at the end of the first quarter, Washington responded with a 28-23 second quarter to cut the deficit to five at halftime (46-41).
Washington won the battle in the paint (46-44) and in transition, outscoring Connecticut 23-4 in fast-break points.
Brittney Sykes led all scorers with 27 points, adding seven assists, two steals, two rebounds, and one block.
16 of her 27 points came in the first half.
She recorded her 10th career game with at least 20 points and five assists.
This was the first time in her career she has posted 20+ points and 5+ assists in back-to-back games (5/16/25 and 5/18/25).
Sykes led the team with 13 free throw attempts and has attempted 25 over the last two games-marking the third time in her career she has attempted 20+ free throws in a two-game span.
She joins Chamique Holdsclaw (6/20/04-6/22/04) as the only players in Mystics history to attempt 12+ free throws in consecutive games.
Sykes is also the first player since Yolanda Griffith (6/10/99-6/12/99) to attempt at least 25 free throws in the first two games of a WNBA season.
The Mystics' bench outscored the Sun's 22-16, led by Jade Melbourne 15 points.
This marks the first time in her career she has scored 10+ points in back-to-back games.
Melbourne joins Helen Luz (2001) and Tayler Hill (2013) as the only Mystics to record at least 15 points and three assists with one or fewer turnovers off the bench.
Rookie Kiki Iriafen recorded her first career double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds.
She has totaled 31 points and 18 rebounds through her first two career games, becoming the first rookie in Mystics history to start a season with at least 30 points and 15 rebounds.
Iriafen becomes the 10th rookie in WNBA history - and the first since A'ja Wilson (2018)- to post 30 points and 18 rebounds across their first two games.
She also becomes the ninth rookie in Mystics history to grab 14+ rebounds in a game.
Rookie Sonia Citron contributed 15 points (5-10 FG) and three assists, including a team-best nine points in the fourth quarter.
Citron is the first Mystics rookie since Shakira Austin (8/2/22-8/7/22) to score 15+ points in consecutive games.
She went 5-6 from the free-throw line and has now attempted at least six free throws in consecutive games-also a feat last achieved by Austin (3-game span in 2022).
Additional Highlights:
Washington totaled 29 free throw attempts, giving them 60 over their first two games - their highest two-game total since 2023.
The team has now attempted 27+ free throws in back-to-back games for the first time since 2018 (5/30/18-6/1/18).
Four Mystics players scored 15+ points (Sykes, Iriafen, Melbourne, Citron) - the first time that's happened since Sept. 5, 2023.
It's also just the 10th time in franchise history that three players with two or fewer years of experience (Melbourne, Iriafen, Citron) each scored 15+ points in a game (last: 2015 - Stef Dolson, Tayler Hill, Emma Meesseman).
Washington shot 51.6% from the field - marking the second consecutive game shooting 50.0% or better.
This is the first time in Mystics franchise history, and the 12th time in WNBA history, that a team has shot 50.0% or better in each of their first two games of the season.
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from May 18, 2025
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- Mystics at Sun Postgame Notes - Washington Mystics
- Connecticut Sun Fall to the Washington Mystics in 2025 Home Opener, 90-85 - Connecticut Sun
- Statement from the Indiana Fever - Indiana Fever
- WNBA Issues Statement - WNBA
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