MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Lynx dominated the second and third quarters to defeat the Washington Mystics 92-75 in front of 8,824 at Target Center on Thursday.
It was the Mystics who got things going early with a layup from forward Shakira Austin. Lynx guard Courtney Williams answered with a layup to tie. Mystics guard Jade Melbourne and Lynx forward Alanna Smith exchanged baskets and the game was tied 4-4 with 6:30 left in the opening quarter. Both teams shot 2-for-7 from the field for 28.6 percent in the first 3:30 of the contest.
Melbourne hit another jump shot to break the tie, and then forward Aaliyah Edwards made a put back layup on a missed three-point attempt by guard Sonia Citron to give Washington the four point lead. Williams and Austin exchanged baskets. Minnesota forward Bridget Carleton and guard Kayla McBride each shot three-pointers and the Lynx suddenly had the 12-10 lead with 3:37 left in the opening quarter. Washington called timeout.
The Mystics team that came back onto the court after the timeout wasn’t the same one that went to the bench. When play resumed, Citron tied the score with a layup. Forwards Emily Engstler and Kiki Iriafen, along with guard Brittney Sykes, each made layups. Guard Lucy Olsen hit a three-pointer, as did center Stefanie Dolson. Meanwhile, the Lynx mustered two free throws from forward Diamond Miller after she got fouled by Engstler, and a put back layup from forward Jessica Shepard just before the quarter ended. The Mystics finished the quarter on a 14-4 run and led 24-16 at the quarter break.
Minnesota started to find their legs, and their shot, in the second quarter. Carleton opened the quarter with a jump shot to cut the deficit to six points. Neither team scored in the next 1:34 before Citron hit a three-pointer to lift the Mystics to the 27-18 advantage.
The Lynx went on a run with a jump shot from forward Napheesa Collier, layup from Smith and two free throws from McBride, to cut the deficit to three points. However, Melbourne and Edwards each scored layups to extend the Mystics lead back up to six points. It was 31-24 in favor of the Mystics when the Lynx called timeout with 5:15 left until halftime.
Collier and Olsen exchanged baskets when play resumed. Then McBride scored. Collier made a jump shot and a free throw after getting fouled by Austin on the play. This was followed by a three-pointer from Carleton to give Minnesota a one-point lead. Austin was fouled by Collier and sent to the free throw line immediately after. She converted one of two attempts. The game was now tied 34-34 with 2:48 remaining until the halftime break when the officials called timeout.
Olsen’s jump shot broke the tie and give the Mystics the lead. It would be short lived, just 39 seconds. A McBride three-pointer gave the Lynx a one-point lead, which they would never relinquish. Collier hit a jump shot and was fouled by Iriafen, who committed her third foul. Collier made the free shot and Minnesota was up by four. Olsen made a layup to cut the deficit to two, but Smith made a buzzer beating three-pointer to give the Lynx the 43-38 halftime lead.
Minnesota turned their game up a notch when the third quarter began. Smith hit a three-pointer. Williams made a jump shot. Collier made a three-pointer, turnaround jumper and fast break layup. The only thing that Washington could muster in the opening minutes was a single layup from Citron. The Lynx turned in a 12-2 run to take the 55-40 lead when Washington called timeout with 5:50 left in the third quarter.
Coming out of the timeout, it was Edwards turn to try to rally the Mystics. She made a jump shot, but that was negated when she fouled Collier, who made two free throws. Miller then made a three-pointer for the Lynx, which was answered by an Edwards layup. Williams made a midrange jump shot and that was answered by two free throws by Edwards, who was fouled by Miller. When the quarter ended, Minnesota had a comfortable 70-52 lead, enough to give the bench extended minutes of play.
Most of the bench players stayed on the court for Minnesota as the fourth quarter began. Olsen made a layup for the Mystics. Minnesota forward Maria Kliundikova answered with a put back layup. Austin made a layup and free throw after getting fouled by Kliundikova. It was answered by a layup from Shepard. Olsen made a jump shot followed by two free throws from Austin, negated by a layup and free throw by Collier after she was fouled by Austin. Minnesota led 77-61 with 5:54 left in the game when the official’s timeout was called.
The rest of the quarter continued the way the quarter started. Every basket was answered. Neither team found separation. The Mystics couldn’t cut into the Lynx lead, and the Lynx couldn’t expand their lead. Sykes and the Lynx guards, Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, exchanged baskets. Collier made a few baskets. Edwards scored for the Mystics. Even Lynx forwards Anastasiia Olairi Kosu and Alissa Pili were able to get some scoring in at the end. When the final buzzer sounded, Minnesota was on top 92-75.
Minnesota went 37-for-80 (46.3 percent) from the field; 9-for-26 (34.6 percent) from three-point range; and 9-for-9 (100.0 percent) from the free throw line. They turned the ball over six times leading to nine Mystics points.
“I knew that the start of the game would look a lot like the end of the last game. That’s what life’s experiences have shown us. We just had to work through it,” said Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve. “I thought we were persistent in what we were running…once we got out of the first quarter, especially the run in the second quarter.”
Washington went 27-for-60 (45.0 percent) from the field; 3-for-20 (15.0 percent) from three-point range; and 18-for-23 (78.3 percent) from the charity stripe. They turned the ball over 20 times which led to 28 Lynx points.
“We had some possessions where…a lot of the three point attempts were some of our better ball movement possessions. I thought those were good looks, they just didn’t drop. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t,” said Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson. “When we were working around in the perimeter, I was pleased. There were some inside looks that we could have faced a little bit more. I was really proud with how they shared the basketball.”
Minnesota held a 52-36 advantage in points-in-the-paint; 13-11 lead in second chance points; and 12-10 in fast break points. Washington’s bench outscored Minnesota’s 43-26. There were four ties and five lead changes. Washington’s largest lead was 10 points while Minnesota’s was 19 points.
“We were pretty good at defending most of their actions, most of the night until we got into the fourth quarter and then we started fouling, which was a big disappointment. But we hung in there and found our way offensively. I like the collective win,” said Reeve.
The Lynx were led by 28 points from Napheesa Collier. Alanna Smith, Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride each added 10 points. Williams led her team with six rebounds and eight assists in those statistical categories.
“I think we did a really good job of pushing in transition and taking advantage of what the defense was giving us,” said Collier. “I think that we knew that we were going to push through that [first quarter] and we just kept going.
The Mystics were led by 19 points from Lucy Olsen. Aaliyah Edwards added 15 points and Shakira Austin pitched in for 10 points. Kiki Iriafen led the Mystics with seven rebounds while Jade Melbourne dished a team-high four assists.
“”I think my teammates just set up really good screens. It’s hard to switch off of Sonia [Citron] when she’s such a great shooter and player. Same with the bigs in the pick and rolls. It’s a tough play to guard and tonight I just saw the opening. I think every day at practice we’ve been getting better at it and I’m just feeling a little more comfortable each day,” said Olsen.
Minnesota (15-2) will host the Golden State Valkyrie (9-7) at 7 p.m. CT on Saturday. Washington (8-10) hosts the Chicago Sky (5-11) at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
