A wicked night, a wicked ending for the Washington Mystics, who defeated the Las Vegas Aces 70–68 on Thursday night from EagleBank Arena.

What started as a fun themed evening turned into one of the most thrilling finishes of the season, full of twists, effort, and late game heroics.

Washington came out strong, jumping to an 11–6 lead behind Shakira Austin’s strong play early. But the Aces responded with a steady push of their own, tying the game 15–15 after the first quarter.

Las Vegas took control in the second, outscoring the Mystics 25–12 thanks to Jewell Loyd and Dana Evans, who combined for 24 first-half points. Despite shooting just 1-for-15 from three, the Aces built a 40–27 halftime lead. It looked like the night might turn into a slow fade out.

However, this Mystics team, as they have shown in previous games this season, refused to let the evening slip away.

Down 46–31 midway through the third, the Mystics dug in. Austin kept working. Brittney Sykes found her rhythm. And rookie Kiki Iriafen, cool as ever, started stringing together plays on both ends.

What followed was a 19–9 run that got the crowd going and pulled the Mystics back within striking distance, trailing just 55–50 heading into the fourth quarter. The energy in the building shifted. Suddenly, it felt like anything was possible.

The Aces clung to their lead until the final two minutes, when the intensity truly ramped up.

Austin powered in a layup to bring Washington within three. Iriafen calmly hit a pair of free throws to cut it to one. Jackie Young scored for Vegas, but Sykes answered with a smooth pull-up jumper from 17-feet out.

Then, with under 40 seconds left, one of the top plays of the night: Sykes missed a runner, but Austin came in for the offensive board and the go-ahead make. Mystics up, 69–68.

On the ensuing Aces possession, Chelsea Gray turned it over. With 4.1 seconds left, Sykes split a pair of free throws to push the lead to two. That left one last chance for Vegas. But on a drive to the rim, Sonia Citron stayed composed, forced a tough look from Young, and sealed the win with a game-saving defensive stand.

"It’s a great game when you’ve got the crowd on your side," said head coach Sydney Johnson. "When we got those stops, it was electric, you could feel it. You get goosebumps because it prepares you for the moment. The crowd is a part of that. When Sonia got the rebound, she didn’t even realize the clock had gone off because the crowd was so loud just from her getting the stop. She was dribbling down the court, totally in the moment. But again, it just feels good to be home and protect home court with our fans behind us.” 

Sykes led the way for Washington with 18 points, showcasing her veteran presence with a clutch pull-up jumper and a key free throw in the final seconds to help secure the win.

Austin continued her strong stretch of play, finishing with 16 points and 8 rebounds, including the go-ahead bucket with under 40 seconds remaining. It marked her fifth game this season with at least 15 points and 5 rebounds.

Iriafen added 12 points and 8 rebounds, notching her 13th game of the season with double-digit points and at least five boards. That total moves her into second place in franchise history for such performances by a rookie.

Sug Sutton tied her season high with 6 assists, marking her third game this year with five or more dimes. She also remained a steady presence in the backcourt throughout the night.

Off the bench, Aaliyah Edwards gave the Mystics a much-needed boost, contributing 6 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 19 minutes of action.

The Mystics outscored the Aces 43–28 in the second half, flipping the momentum and setting the stage for their comeback win.

It was Washington’s sixth victory this season after trailing by 10 or more points, tied with Minnesota for the most such wins in the league.

Defensively, the Mystics held Las Vegas to just 3-of-25 shooting from beyond the arc, limiting them to a season-low 12% from three.

Washington also finished with 20 assists, the seventh time this season they’ve reached that mark. They are now 5–2 in those games.

Up next, the Mystics will head to Seattle to battle the Storm on Sunday with tip-off at 6 PM ET.