Mystics Recap:

After making a historic WNBA comeback in their previous match up, the Washington Mystics and the Los Angeles Sparks looked to repeat history Tuesday night at the Verizon Center with a tense game that was sent into overtime. Matching point for point, the Mystics kept avoiding the frenzy as well as executing the defensive strategies in the fourth quarter that has proven to be a tough part of the game for the team. With seconds left on the clock in the fourth quarter, Sparks guard Ticha Penicheiro failed to sink the shot that would have sealed the game for Los Angeles. In overtime, the Mystics failed to connect the plays, allowing the Sparks forward Candace Parker to get the final shot of the game that resulted in Sparks 86, Mystics 82 in overtime. Guard Matee Ajavon had 14-points, forward Crystal Langhorne raked in a game-high 28 points.

Flying to the windy city, the Mystics next match up was against the Chicago Sky. After another disappointing loss, the Mystics went away with 67-80 on the scoreboard. The team dominated the Sky on the offensive side having 14 to the Sky’s five offensive rebounds. Langhorne was the lead scorer for the night with 19 points. But the Sky tallied up more points in the paint with 34 to the Mystics 24. Leading the Sky to their victory was guard Epiphanny Prince with 18 points and center Sylvia Fowles with 14 points and 12 rebounds, notching her 19th double-double of the season. With the victory, the Sky went on to sweep the four-game series against the Mystics.

Traveling back home, the Mystics took on the number three seed in the Western Conference, the Phoenix Mercury. Coming off a slow start and not being able to take the lead for the entire game, the Mystics attempted a comeback in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, coming within five points. But at the end the scoreboard read Mercury 86, Mystics 79, pushing the Mystics losing streak to eight. Some of the Mystics shots fell short off the iron but defensively the Mystics tried to put a stop to the Mercury’s points in the paint with blocked shots or running down of the shot clock. Langhorne had 12 rebounds with 27 points, notching her fifth double-double of the season. The Mercury were led by forward Candice Dupree who scored a season-high 27 points. Mercury guard Diana Taurasi added 21. The biggest lead of the night was 22 in the Mercury’s favor. The Mystics record now stands at 5-23.

Open Mic:

WASHINGTON MYSTICS GUARD JASMINE THOMAS

On her role with the team:

“For me that was something I felt all year, needing to perform and learn. I wanted to just get better, improve and show that I can contribute this year as well as next year. It’s a different mindset. Just because we know we didn’t make the play-offs we can’t settle and be satisfied and I think at times you can see us doing that, which is disappointing. For me as a rookie, I need to be the one that’s always bringing that energy.”

Game of the Week: Washington Mystics vs. Atlanta Dream, Thursday, September 1, 7:00PM

This week, the Washington Mystics take on the Atlanta Dream in back-to-back games, first at home on September 1st, then in Atlanta on September 2nd. These two games will wrap up a five-game series with Atlanta, in which the Mystics have gone 1-2. In the first matchup this season, Washington won by an eight-point margin in overtime. Crystal Langhorne scored a game-high 30 points, Nicky Anosike scored a career high 29 points and Matee Ajavon had 24 points. Ajavon also had five steals and four assists. Both Langhorne and Anosike had 13 rebounds apiece. In the two games following, the Mystics saw contribution from the bench, with rookie point guard Jasmine Thomas scoring 14 points between the two games. In the last matchup, the Mystics fell by two with a basket in the final second. The Dream rank fourth in the Eastern Conference. Despite being out of playoff contention, expect a lot of fight from the Mystics this week as they face one of their Eastern Conference rivals.

Upcoming Schedule*:

Week of August 29

Tuesday, August 30 Shoot around 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Mystics at Minnesota Lynx 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday, August 31 - Travel back to D.C .-

Practice 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, September 1 Mystics vs. Atlanta Dream 7:00 p.m.

Friday, September 2 - Travel to Atlanta -

Mystics at Atlanta Dream 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, September 3 -Travel back to D.C.-

Sunday, September 4 Mystics vs. Connecticut Sun 4:00 p.m.

Media wishing to attend Mystics practice need to email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

*Subject to change

Friendly Foes:

Mystics forward Nicky Anosike will travel to the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN for the first time since being acquired by the Mystics on April 9, 2011 from the Minnesota Lynx. Anosike was drafted in the second round (16th overall) of the 2008 WNBA draft by the Lynx. Last season, she played 31 games and averaged 9.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.

Mystics Milestones:

Guard Kelly Miller reached her 1,000th career rebound after grabbing one rebound in the Mystics loss to the Chicago Sky on August 26. Guard Matee Ajavon scored her 1,000th career point 4:57 into the first quarter in a 91-81 win over the New York Liberty at home on August 6. Forward/center Nicky Anosike surpassed 1,000 career points, scoring 16 points in the Mystics loss to the Connecticut Sun on June 4. Prior to that game, Anosike was only five points away from 1,000 points at the beginning of her fourth year in the league.

All Aboard:

Forward Crystal Langhorne and forward/center Nicky Anosike are ranked seventh and eighth in the league, pulling down 7.6 and 7.5 rebounds per game respectively. The Mystics allow only 31.21 rebounds per game from their opponents, the third fewest rebounds allowed per team behind the Minnesota Lynx (30.37) and the Seattle Storm (30.44). The Mystics have outrebounded their opponents in all but nine games this season and have tied rebounds in one game.