The Washington Mystics got huge games out of frontcourt starters of Chasity Melvin and Nakia Sanford en route to a win over visiting Connecticut Sun on Sunday, 87-80.
Melvin led all scorers with a season-high 25 points and she also added season highs in rebounds (10) and assists (five). Sanford’s 10 points matched her season-high and her nine rebounds established a new one. The win snapped a two-game losing streak and keeps the Mystics (8-5) unbeaten at home.
“I watched tape of the first game against Connecticut and I was disappointed in myself because I wasn’t aggressive enough,” Melvin said. “Tonight I came out focused on being more aggressive and it showed.”
Before the game, Mystics coach Richie Adubato called it a “must win” for his team and they responded by winning for the first time since placing forward DeLisha Milton-Jones on the injured list last week.
Nykesha Sales and Taj McWilliams-Franklin each scored a team-high 15 points in a loss that dropped the Sun (10-4) into second place behind Detroit in the Eastern Conference.
The Mystics got off to a strong start by pounding the ball inside with 24 of their 52 first-half points coming in the paint. The Mystics frontcourt dominated the Sun on the boards, 19-10, in the first half as they built a 52-42 lead.
The Sun fought back in the third quarter with a basket from forward Asjha Jones with 3:10 left in the third capping a 9-0 Sun run that cut the Mystics’ lead to 57-54. Jones, a former Mystic, added a three-pointer with 1:28 left in the third that tied it at 59.
The Mystics went on their own 9-0 run early in the fourth to build their lead back up to 72-61 and appeared to be running away with it. But the Sun bounced back and cut the lead to 79-78 with 1:55 left in the fourth.
