Shakira Austin posted 16 points and 10 rebounds and the Washington Mystics held steady in the fourth quarter to beat the visiting Phoenix Mercury 83-65 on Tuesday night and avenge a loss from two nights earlier.
Ariel Atkins provided 13 points, Alysha Clark posted 11 and Elizabeth Williams had 10 off the bench to boost the Mystics (10-6).
Mystics forward Elena Delle Donne, who had missed the past 2 1/2 games with an ailing back, started the game and scored seven points in 26 minutes.
Unlike Sunday night, there was no fourth-quarter comeback for the Mercury despite 21 points from Diamond DeShields. Tina Charles had 19 points and Skylar Diggins-Smith added 11 for Phoenix (5-9), which had a three-game winning streak snapped.
Clark and Atkins each made three of Washington’s 11 baskets from 3-point range. The Mystics benefited from a 30-5 advantage in bench scoring.
Washington’s lead was 65-51 after three quarters as Myisha Hines-Allen scored the last five points of the quarter.
DeShields and Diana Taurasi hit 3-pointers to open the fourth quarter, but the Mystics answered with the next six points. Phoenix got back within 74-65 with 4:18 to play but didn’t score again and ended up with its second-lowest point total of the season. The Mercury missed their last five shots amid a series of turnovers.
A strong stretch across the last six minutes of the first half pushed the Mystics to a 44-34 halftime lead. Their largest lead was at 14 points.
Washington had the double-digit lead despite shooting 38.5 percent from the field in the half.
DeShields had 12 points in the first half for Phoenix, which was 4-for-10 on free throws prior to the break. The Mercury ended up 7-for-16 at the line.
The Mercury won Sunday night’s matchup on the same court, 99-90 in overtime.
–Field Level Media
