Delle Donne hits late go-ahead 3-pointer, Mystics beat Sky 71-69
CHICAGO (AP) — Elena Delle Donne scored 25 points, Shakira Austin had 15 points and 11 rebounds and the Washington Mystics beat the Chicago Sky 71-69 on Friday night.
Ariel Atkins rebounded her own miss and found Delle Donne open for a go-ahead 3-pointer with 22.4 to play. Kahleah Copper drove into the lane and was fouled before making 1 of 2 free throws with 10.4 left to get Chicago within 69-67. But Atkins sealed it by making two free throws for a four-point lead.
Natasha Cloud had a team-high seven assists for Washington (2-2), which forced Chicago into 21 turnovers.
The Mystics made 16 of 20 from the free-throw line while Chicago made 9 of 13.
Washington led 53-37 before Chicago scored the next 16 points to tie it on Copper’s wide-open layup. Amanda Zahui B. answered with a 3-pointer on her first shot attempt of the game and Kristi Toliver converted a four-point play — her first points of the game — on the Mystics next possession to make it 60-53.
Chicago tied it again at 60 after Washington went the first three-plus minutes of the fourth quarter without a point. Austin made the Mystics’ second field goal of the fourth with 3:10 left for a 64-62 lead.
Marina Mabrey led Chicago (2-1) with 19 points. Courtney Williams had 13 points, nine rebounds and five assists and Copper scored 12.
Chicago forward Morgan Bertsch left the game late in the first half after landing awkwardly following a blocked shot and did not return. Rebekah Gardner also had to be helped off the court with 38.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
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