As their third matchup this season, and each team taking one prior, tonight marked the tiebreaker for Mystics versus the Sun. Both teams have battled all season to stay amongst the top of the WNBA standings, and tonight’s victory leapfrogged Washington atop Connecticut – where they now sit at four and five respectively. Washington’s starting five put up big numbers and ultimately made it no contest for a Connecticut team that looked deep into their bench for hopes of taking home the victory.
LaToya Sanders Wasn’t the only one Chefing Tonight
Sanders made tonight a career game by putting up 18 points – going 8 for 12 inside the arch coupled with her 2 for 4 at the charity stripe. The stat bests her previous career high of 17 points, which was also against Connecticut, back in 2015. When asked during the postgame what she credited her night to, Sanders immediately gave a shout out to her mom’s home cooking, which served as her pregame meal. Who knew chicken, zucchini, broccoli, and risotto was the meal plan for success? Sanders also added 8 rebounds and 4 assists to her stellar stats for the night.
Coach Thibault gave credit to Sanders during his postgame press conference, expressing that her offensive presence has earmarked one of the biggest positive changes with the team by forcing opponents to have to play them “a little more honestly.”
Fun Fact: Tonight the Sun Set Everywhere at 8:37pm
The sun was shining during the first half of tonight’s matchup. Connecticut took it into the locker room up 43-46 over the Mystics, but the dawn was coming with an electric third quarter from the Mystics. Collectively, the Mystics put up 33 points during the third, key marked by a 16-0 run over the Sun during the period. The clock read 8:37pm when the period finally wrapped, which was coincidentally the exact minute for sunset in DC. Irony or perfect timing? We’ll let you be the judge.
EDD Still Reigns Supreme
Fresh off being named the WNBA player of the week, Elena Delle Donne did not miss a beat – leading the Mystics with 25 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists for the night. The game marks her fifth in a row where she has left the court adding double-digits to the scoreboard. Delle Donne spread the love around the court, logging 9 of her 25 points from outside the arch and going 6-for-6 at the line.
Atkins and Toliver Combine for 27 Points and 10 Assists
Not to be forgotten behind a career night and the continued dominance of EDD, Ariel Atkins, and Kristi Toliver did their part to help secure the win in Washington.
To quote Coach Thibault during his postgame press conference when speaking about the Mystics rookie Ariel Atkins, “yeah, she’s pretty good.” Atkins added 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals – pretty good indeed.
Toliver struggled at the free throw line during the third quarter but was able to find her groove by the end of the night – closing out the Sun with 14 points and 8 assists.
Next Up: Quick Turnaround for Thursday’s Home Game Against New York
The Mystics won’t have long to celebrate the victory over Connecticut. They’re set to take on the Liberty this Thursday, June 28, at home in Capital One Arena.