Make it back-to-back thrilling finishes at home for the Washington Mystics, who on Tuesday night defeated the Minnesota Lynx 68-64 in a matchup that came down to the wire at CareFirst Arena.

Coming into the night, the Lynx carried the best record in the WNBA, a team that had proven itself as one of the most balanced and consistent in the league. But at CareFirst, it was the Mystics who delivered the bigger statement, storming back from an early 14-point hole, weathering every punch, and closing with a clutch defensive stand to claim the victory.

It was a performance built on resilience, timely execution, and growing belief from a team beginning to find its rhythm.

The Lynx came out hot, led by Alanna Smith’s 13-point first quarter barrage that powered a 16-2 Minnesota run. Suddenly, Washington trailed 20-6 and looked on the ropes. But rather than fade, the Mystics punched back. Shakira Austin, named Eastern Conference Player of the Week earlier in the day, set the tone with eight early points, helping ignite a 14-2 run to close the quarter and pull Washington within two.

That momentum carried into the second quarter, where Austin added five more points to give Washington a 29-24 lead just two minutes in. Both teams traded multiple buckets in the final two minutes. Sonia Citron added a spark late, draining a 24-foot three following a layup to send the Mystics into halftime with a 39-37 lead.

Washington maintained its lead throughout the third period, until the Lynx reclaimed the advantage with an 11-4 run that was capped off with a buzzer-beating putback by Jessica Shepard to close the third with a 55-54 edge.

But the fourth quarter belonged to the Mystics.

Jade Melbourne and Maria Kliunshikova opened the quarter with timely threes, and the two sides traded seven lead changes in a tense final stretch.

With under a minute remaining and Washington trailing 64-62, Melbourne misfired from the corner, but Austin was right there to grab the offensive board and followed with the put back to tie the game.

On the next play, Sug Sutton picked Courtney Williams clean at the top of the key, raced the other way, and hit the go-ahead layup.

After a key defensive stop on the Lynxs' ensuing possession, Citron iced it with two free throws to help end the quarter on a 6-0 run, and the final result was the Mystics taking down the league’s top team.

Austin finished with 19 points and eight rebounds, marking her third consecutive game with at least 15 points and 5 boards, the longest such stretch of her career. She’s now averaging 22.7 points over her last three games.

“She’s one of a kind. I just think her approach has been off the charts,” said head coach Sydney Johnson after the game. “She’s always been a talented individual player, but now you’re seeing her really embrace being a teammate, wanting to grow, wanting to connect. She’s seeing the value in passing, in being part of what we’re building. That shows up in how she handles double teams, how she picks up teammates, talks to them on the bench, reminds them of things during the game. That growth has been really special to watch.”

Sutton added 12 points and a career-high four steals, delivering on both ends when it mattered most.

Kiki Iriafen recorded her fifth double-double of the season (11 points, 11 rebounds), continuing her standout rookie campaign.

Citron extended her active steals streak to seven games, adding two more to her total.

Defensively, the Mystics were at their best. They held Minnesota to just nine points in the fourth quarter, the Lynx’s lowest-scoring frame of the season, and 27 total in the second half. The Lynx shot just 3-for-18 from three-point range, the lowest allowed by Washington this year. The Mystics also forced 19 turnovers, turning them into 26 points.

The win marked Washington’s first over Minnesota since August 2023 and improved the Mystics to 5-0 this season when scoring 20+ points off turnovers.

With three wins in their last four games and growing contributions across the roster, the Mystics are turning a corner. And Tuesday night, against the league’s best, they proved that they are up for any challenge that lies ahead.

Up next for Washington will be a three game road stretch that starts with the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday night with tip off at 10 PM ET.