WNBA Washington Mystics

Mystics Update

July 4, 2011 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Washington Mystics News Release


Mystics Recap:

The Seattle Storm defeated the Washington Mystics at Verizon Center 73-63 on July 3. 2011. It was the first time Seattle won an away game against Washington since July 24, 2007. The Storm led for most of the game but really widened their lead in the second half. With Lauren Jackson out with a hip injury, Swin Cash and Le'Coe Willingham stepped up in the paint. Cash scored 19 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Willingham, in just her second start for Jackson, recorded 17 points and five rebounds. Sue Bird ended with 17 points and five assists. Katie Smith returned to Washington after a one-year stint with the Mystics last season. She played 27 minutes and had three rebounds and two steals. The Storm shot 47% from the field.

Like Seattle, the Mystics are also battling injuries. The team's leading scorer, Crystal Langhorne joined Alana Beard and Monique Currie on the bench with back pain. Rookie Victoria Dunlap started for Langhorne, and posted a career-high 19 points and eight rebounds. Nicky Anosike finished with a double-double, 11 points and 10 rebounds, her fourth of the season. Marissa Coleman put in 10 points and Matee Ajavon added 15. In just the second half, the Mystics only lost by one point and committed three turnovers compared to 11 in the first half. In the end, the Mystics forced more turnovers on Seattle (17), but it was breakaway points that gave the defending Champion Storm the win.

Open Mic:

WASHINGTON MYSTICS HEAD COACH TRUDI LACEY

Overall thoughts on the game :

"We played with a shorter roster and just really fought with tremendous heart. It is a learning process for us. We came out the gate started the game better but the second quarter really hurt us. We really didn't do a good job of reading their defense and we made some random plays offensively that put us in a hole but on the upside Victoria [Dunlap] really came to her own today so that was good to see. She had 19 points in 32 minutes and we battled on the boards and we did defensively enough to win the game just offensively we were just a little out of sync."

WASHINGTON MYSTICS FORWARD VICTORIA DUNLAP

Thought of her individual and team play:

"It was tough. Basketball is a team sport. You can't win with just one person or two people; you have to win as a team. Even though I started and did well; I still feel bad because we did not win."

Game of the Week:

Washington Mystics vs. Chicago Sky, Tuesday, July 5, 2011

The Mystics look to get back into the win column in their matchup against the Sky after losing to them at Verizon Center 84-77. The key to winning this match will be the execution of defensive schemes on the Mystics' end. After having shown just what a good defense as well as offense can do in the game against Tulsa, the Mystics will have to stop the Sky's three point attempts as well as their rebounding. Will the Mystics stop Epiphany Prince, shooting guard for the Sky who averages 11.2 points per game' How will she match up against Mystics guard Matee Ajavon who averages 15.9 points per game' Will the Mystics continue to implement their new defensive schemes system in order to tie the series against the Sky' With forward Crystal Langhorne out with back pain, the Mystics will have to band together as they did in Sunday's match up against Seattle and get the win.

Check out the Washington Mystics Statistics



Women's National Basketball Association Stories from July 4, 2011


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