Washington Mystics take down Tulsa Shock 83-63; End their four-game losing streak – WNBA Recap
Four of the starters scored in double figures as Washington Mystics snapped their four-game losing streak with a blow out 83-63 win over the Tulsa Shock on Sunday night at Verizon Center. It was the first home victory of the defending
Eastern Conference regular-season champions this season.
Washington forward centre Nicky Anosike said, "When you have four losses in a row, that can easily turn into five, six, seven," "I think we were just desperate and we played desperate tonight."
Crystal Langhorne scored a game-high 23 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the victory. However, the 24-year-old forward centre also committed 11 turnovers. Nicky Anosike and Marissa Coleman recorded a double-double each for
Washington. Anosike posted 13 points and 10 rebounds while Coleman also scored 13 points along with a game-high 12 boards. Matee Ajavon had 21 points, six assists, five rebounds and four steals in the win.
Liz Cambage headed Tulsa with 15 points and seven rebounds while Sheryl Swoopes finished with 11 points and four rebounds. Washington entered their seventh game of the season allowing rivals to shoot 50 percent from the field,
but they limited the slumping Tulsa to just 35.3 percent this time.
Mystics scored the first nine points of the opening period to grab the initial lead. They stretched the lead to ten points, 15-5, before Tulsa responded with 11-2 run to cut the deficit to one, 17-16, with 02:16 to go in the first
quarter. The Mystics however responded with seven straight points to take a 24-18 lead in to the second.
Both teams scored 17 points each in the second quarter and Washington maintained their six-point lead, 41-35, at halftime.
Mystics went on a roll early in the third quarter and by the time Langhorne slipped in a lay-up with 05:12 to go in the frame, Mystics were already ahead by 16 points at 57-41. Cambage’s hook shot and Swoopes’ lay-up in the ensuing
passage cut the deficit to 12 points. Anosike however hit free throw and Ajavon pinned a three-pointer in the last minute of the third period to stretch the lead back to 16 points, 61-45, heading into the fourth. Langhorne scored eight of her points in the
third.
The one way traffic continued in the fourth quarter as well and Washington romped to an emphatic win.
Mystics coach Trudi Lacey appreciated the strong hold of her young team and said, "We are pretty good when can defend, get out, and run a little bit." "We have been growing up a little bit day by day. I'm not a mother, but it is
like raising children, so it was good to get the win."
This marks Tulsa’s third consecutive loss of this season and 14 straight road defeat dating to previous season.
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