Fresh off a 32-point loss to the Atlanta Dream that saw coach Sydney Johnson get ejected for his displeasure with the officiating, the Washington Mystics looked primed for a comeback win before Caitlin Clark’s game-winning three with 1.2 seconds remaining handed Washington a 78-76 loss.
Clark dominated the opening quarter with 10 points on 4-for-7 FG. The Iowa product drilled a pair of triples but picked up her second foul with less than a minute remaining.
Michaela Onyenwere kept Washington close
with seven points on 4-for-4 FT as Indiana took a 21-16 lead into the second quarter.
Sonia Citron drilled her first triple of the contest off a transition feed from Georgia Amoore to make it 25-19. But Indiana, behind two Kelsey Mitchell threes, answered with an 8-1 run to open a 13-point lead and force a Mystics timeout.
The Fever took a 43-29 lead into halftime thanks to Washington’s 10 turnovers and 9-for-26 FG as it inched toward its second straight loss.
After Indiana took a 51-35 lead, it looked like the Mystics were en route to another blowout loss. Then Washington’s bench got activated.
Lauren Betts sank a trio of layups with an Onyenwere triple sandwiched between to cut the deficit to just seven points. Indiana responded with a run of its own to grow its advantage back to 12, but the Mystics refused to go away, instead embarking on a 7-0 run to make it 58-53 entering the fourth quarter.
Onyenwere continued with her impressive showing with another bucket — her 12th point of the night — to pull Washington within four at 60-56. Then Amoore got activated, drilling a triple before dishing one to Citron for another as Washington made it a two-point contest.
The Mystics had several chances to tie or take the lead but missed contested layups and open threes before Caitlin Clark dimed two teammates to extend Indiana’s lead to 73-67.
With Washington on the ropes, Onyenwere stepped up again, this time draining a much-needed triple to make it 73-70 before diving on a loose ball, drawing a foul and drilling the ensuing free throws.
After a defensive stop, Citron found Shakira Austin rolling to the bucket for an open layup to give the Mystics a 74-73 lead with 41.4 seconds remaining. Clark drew a foul but missed both free throws, which gave Washington a chance to extend its lead.
But Austin couldn’t handle Citron’s entry feed, and Micthell capitalized with a go-ahead layup to give her squad a 75-74 lead with 11.3 left. Austin redeemed herself with a laser to a cutting Citron, who drew a foul and drilled both free throws with 4.3 remaining.
Cotie McMahon gambled on the cross-court inbounds but couldn’t grab the steal, which left Clark wide open for the game-winning triple to give Indiana a 78-76 win.
Washington fell to 4-6 on the season.
