Five days after Shakira Austin dropped 28 points in the Washington Mystics’ 91-85 win over the Dallas Wings, the sides returned to CareFirst Arena on Wednesday for a rematch. Trailing 76-56 in the third quarter, Washington roared back to earn an impressive 96-92 victory.
Jessica Shepard and Arike Ogunbowale combined for 14 first-quarter points as Dallas took a 31-28 advantage into the second frame.
Austin continued to dominate down low, tallying 11 points and three rebounds through the first 20 minutes
of play. And Georgia Amoore made three of her four 3-point attempts to keep Washington afloat.
But Shepard’s scorching-hot start stole the show. She finished the first half with a game-high 12 points on a perfect 6-for-6 from the field. Alanna Smith added 10 more as the Wings closed the half on a 13-2 run en route to a 59-44 lead into halftime.
Shepard remained a perfect 9-for-9 from the field until her first miss late in the third. And Smith quadrupled her per-game average to 17 points as Dallas mounted a 20-point lead.
But Austin refused to go away, scoring 14 points in the quarter to keep Washington attached. Sonia Citron drilled a buzzer-beating triple that awoke Care First Arena as the Mystics trailed 80-72 with their four-game winning streak hanging in the balance.
Sydney Johnson called a timeout with his team trailing 84-74 halfway through the quarter, which seemed to spark something in his young squad. After another Shepard bucket, Washington embarked on a 10-0 run, capped by two buckets from Michaela Onyenwere, to make it a two-point game entering the final four minutes of regulation.
Cotie McMahon tied the game at the line to complete Washington’s 20-point comeback before Smith quickly answered to retake the lead for Dallas. But McMahon didn’t quit, instead converting a three-point play that sent CareFirst Arena into a madhouse.
Then it was Citron time. The WNBA All-Star sank a pair of clutch buckets that pushed Washington’s lead to five with 1:12 remaining.
Ogunbowale drilled two free throws, Austin missed a short jumper and the Wings drew another shooting foul as they inched closer. But Johnson’s coach’s challenge was successful, which overturned the call and gave Washington another chance at a defensive stand.
McMahon capitalized on that extra opportunity, denying Ogunbowale’s shot attempt before sinking a short jumper to give the Mystics a 95-90 advantage with 11.4 seconds remaining.
Buckers trimmed the lead to three, and Citron made one of her two free-throw attempts to make it 96-92 with 6.1 seconds remaining in regulation. Washington closed it out on the defensive end to complete an astounding 20-point comeback win and improve to 17-12 on the season.
