MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota Lynx forward Alanna Smith scored 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting including four three-pointers to lift the Lynx past the Washington Mystics 80-76 in front of 8,821 at Target Center on Friday night.
The Lynx, already without all-star forward Napheesa Collier, who is out with an ankle injury, nearly lost all-star guard Kayla McBride on the game’s first play. Washington guard Sug Sutton set a pick on McBride, which enabled forward Sonia Citron to get into the paint for an easy layup for the game’s first score. Sutton and McBride locked knees on the play forcing Minnesota to burn an injury timeout for McBride to receive medical attention by the trainers. Guard Natisha Hiedeman checked into the game in place of the injured McBride.
The loss of McBride got inside the heads of the Lynx players, which the Mystics used to their advantage. Forward Shakira Austin hit a short jump shot to give Washington the 4-0 lead. Lynx guard Courtney Williams answered with a jump shot of her own to give Minnesota their first points of the game.
Citron hit another jump shot followed by two baskets from Austin. With Washington leading 10-2 with 6:53 left in the first quarter, Lynx forward Di’Jonai Carrington received a loud ovation when she checked into the game. It was her first time entering a home game as a member of the Lynx since the team acquired her from Dallas in a trade a week earlier. Right after, Smith scored an open layup for the home team’s second basket of the game.
A minute later, Carrington and Citron collided near mid court while battling for a loose ball. Citron was initially called for her first foul of the game. The Mystics called timeout and challenged the call. It was overturned and Carrington was assessed with the foul instead.
Williams and Mystics forward Kiki Iriafen exchanged baskets, as did Smith and Mystics forward Emily Engstler. The Target Center crowd erupted again when McBride checked back in with 3:48 left in the opening quarter and the Mystics leading 14-8.
It was the Mystics who continued their momentum with a jump shot from Iriafen, but the momentum switched to the Lynx when Dolson and Hiedeman exchanged shots. Mystics center Stefanie Dolson hit a three-pointer from the top of the key. Hiedeman answered with a three-pointer of her own. Then Dolson hit another three-pointer to give the Mystics the 22-11 lead, which would be their largest of the game. Smith attempted a three-pointer but missed. Mystics forward Alysha Clark grabbed the rebound by had it stolen by Carrington. She dished to Hiedeman who made a wide open layup. Lynx forward Maria Kliundikova’s layup with 50.7 second left completed the first quarter scoring, which ended with Washington leading 22-15.
Carrington began the second quarter scoring with two free throws after getting fouled by Mystics guard Jade Melbourne. Iriafen and McBride exchanged layups. Kliundikova and Citron traded three-point shots. Minnesota forward Jessica Shepard was fouled hard by Iriafen while driving to the basket. An irate Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve yelled at the officiating crew and drew the technical foul from referee Agon Abazi. Citron went to the line to shoot the technical free throw. She missed the free throw. Shepard then missed both of her free shots from drawing the common foul. It was 27-22 in favor of the Mystics with 7:00 left until halftime.
Things calmed down after that exchange as Smith and Austin each scored layups, but no other points were added to the score when the official’s timeout occurred two minutes later.
Minnesota found a little momentum coming out of the timeout when McBride was fouled by guard Lucy Olsen while attempting a three-pointer. She made two of three free throws. Carrington’s short jump shot cut the Lynx deficit to one point, and a fast break layup from Courtney Williams put the home team on top 30-29 with 3:21 left until halftime when Washington called timeout to halt the momentum.
The Mystics regained the lead with a three-pointer by Olsen. Smith was fouled by Austin but only made one of two free throws to cut the Lynx deficit to one point. Olsen struck again with another three-pointer making it 35-31. Lynx forward Bridget Carleton shot an open three-pointer but airballed the attempt. This was offset by a Mystics shot clock violation.
Minnesota regained the lead when Shepard scored a layup and made a free throw after getting fouled by Austin. This cut the deficit to one point. Then Courtney Williams hit a jump shot to give Minnesota the 36-35 lead with 33.8 second left until halftime.
Smith and Melbourne tied up while battling for a loose ball, forcing a jump ball. Smith tipped the ball to Shepard, who passed the ball to Carleton. Carleton hit a 19-foot jump shot just before the buzzer. The Lynx took a 38-35 halftime lead into the locker room.
The Mystics opened the third quarter with an 8-2 run. Citron began with a fast break layup. Austin scored two jump shots. Sug Sutton added a basket. Washington led 43-40 with 6:44 left in the third quarter.
Smith took things into her own hands with a three-pointer and a layup back-to-back forcing Washington to call timeout. Then after a Citron three-pointer to give Washington the 46-45 lead, Smith scored her next five points with a layup and a three-pointer back-to-back on a personal 10-3 run to give the Lynx a 50-46 lead with 3:54 left in the third quarter.
The Mystics answered with a run of their own as Iriafen countered with one of two free throws after getting fouled by McBride, and then made a layup on the next possession. Citron and Engstler each hit three-pointers while the Lynx only mustered a single free throw from Shepard. The 9-1 run put the Mystics on top 55-51 with 2:01 left in the quarter.
However, the Lynx weren’t finished. They closed out the quarter on a 7-0 run with a layup from Hiedeman followed by a three-pointer from Carrington. Their defense forced the Mystics into a shot clock violation. Carrington’s reverse layup put Minnesota up 58-55 as the quarter came to a close with both teams shooting over 50 percent in field goal shooting on the game.
Washington opened the fourth quarter on a 9-2 run as Sutton and Dolson scored layups to reclaim the lead. Clark’s three-pointer gave the Mystics the 62-58 lead but Williams took two points back for the Lynx with her jump shot. Citron’s short jumper pushed it back up to four points, but Carrington hit a three-pointer to get the Lynx to within a single point again. Williams fouled Citron, who made one of two free throws, but McBride was fouled by Sutton after making a shot. The “and one” free throw gave the Lynx the 66-65 lead with 5:49 left at the official’s timeout.
Smith was the go-to player again for Minnesota. Again, she made a layup and a three-pointer, this time sandwiched between two Citron free throws. Minnesota led 71-67 when Washington called timeout with 3:39 left on the clock.
Coming out of the timeout, Citron made a layup and a free throw after getting fouled by Carrington, to cut the Mystics deficit to one point. However, Smith again became the savior for the Lynx hitting another three-pointer and extending the lead back to four-points, 74-70 with 2:27 on the clock with Washington calling another timeout.
This time it was Iriafen who made a put back layup and the free throw after getting fouled by Shepard to pull the Mystics to within a single point. After Courtney Williams missed a pullup jump shot, the Lynx called timeout. Carrington mishandled the inbounds pass for the turnover and Washington called timeout.
Citron attempted a driving layup, which missed and was rebounded by the Lynx, when referee Jason Alabanza blew his whistle and called Carrington for a foul. The Lynx called timeout to challenge the call and after review, it was overturned. It was Minnesota’s ball.
McBride made a layup to give the Lynx a three-point lead. Washington used a reset timeout. Citron hit a three-pointer with 59.5 seconds left on the clock to tie the score 76-76. Minnesota then used a reset timeout.
Two seconds later, Williams hit a jump shot to break the tie and give the Lynx the two point lead. On the ensuing Mystics possession, Sutton attempted a 12-foot jump shot and referee Roy Gulbeyan called Williams for the foul. The shot fell short. Again, the Lynx called timeout for a coach’s challenge. After review, the call was overturned and the teams had a jump ball at center court.
Smith and Austin battled at the midcourt logo. Austin tipped the ball to Iriafen who then gave it to Citron. McBride tied up Citron and they had a jump ball on the Mystics end of the court. McBride tipped it to Williams, who was then fouled by Melbourne for a transition take foul. Citron fouled McBride on the inbounds pass with 13.2 seconds left. Two free throws from the veteran Lynx guard sealed the 80-76 victory.
Minnesota went 31-for-59 (52.5 percent) from the field; 8-for-22 (36.4 percent) from three-point range; and 10-for-15 (66.7 percent) from the free throw line. They committed 14 turnovers leading to 19 Mystics points.
“Obviously having the timeouts to be able to do it are really important,” said Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve regarding winning two coaches challenges in the last 90 seconds. “I think officials recognize, in a way they didn’t recognize in the playoffs last year, the definition of ‘Marginal Contact.’ We have seen this year much better at that recognition. If that’s something that comes out of that, that’s great.”
Washington went 30-for-63 (47.6 percent) from the field; 10-for-21 (47.6 percent) from three-point range; and 6-for-9 (66.7 percent) from the charity stripe. They turned the ball over 20 times for 25 Lynx points.
“Two rookie all-stars showed up big time. Lots of contribution up and down the roster. We’re at our best, honestly, when it’s a team effort,” said Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson. “They really, really, really played hard. They’re embracing getting better against a really good team for the third time.”
Washington led in all major statistical categories. They held a 34-30 advantage in points-in-the-paint; 12-6 lead in second chance points; and 6-4 lead in fast break points. Minnesota held the 24-22 edge in bench scoring. There were three ties and 11 lead changes. The Lynx largest lead was four points while the Mystics 11 points lead in the first quarter was their largest of the game.
“Defensively, staying in plays a little bit better is something we’re going tno be working on with the group as a whole,” said Reeve.
The Lynx were led by 25 points from Alanna Smith. Courtney Williams added 14 points. Di’Jonai Carrington pitched in for 12 points and Kayla McBride chipped in 11 points. Jessica Shepard and Bridget Carleton paced the Lynx with six rebounds each, while Williams led the team with assists with five dimes.
“We locked in. We played great defense. Sometimes refs make calls and that’s why we got those challenges, right? To be able to challenge those calls. Thankfully they played out in our favor,” said Williams. “I think we made some big shots. Lan [Alanna Smith] was huge and made every one of her buckets. I think it was our mental toughness, honestly. We stayed locked in. They made plays. We made plays. Ultimately, we got the ‘W.’”
The Mystics were led by Sonia Citron’s 26 points. Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin each added 12 points. Iriafen led all rebounders with nine. Citron, Iriafen and Sug Sutton each led the Mystics with four assists each.
“I think we were just playing our kind of basketball. We were just being selfless, moving the ball around, finding open people. That’s the kind of basketball we like to play and I think we were able to do that just being aggressive and sharing the ball,” said Citron.
The Lynx (26-5) travel to New York (20-10) for a 11:30 a.m. CT game against the Liberty on Sunday. The Mystics (13-17) travel to Dallas (8-23) for a 3 p.m. CT game against the Wings also on Sunday.
