Mystics’ ball movement and paint scoring bury Sky in 110-80 win

A close opening, then Washington’s grip tightened

Chicago did have an early foothold. Kamilla Cardoso’s basket at 6:54 of the first quarter put the Sky ahead 9-6, and the home side stayed close enough to finish the period down only 24-19. But that turned out to be the last truly manageable version of the game for Chicago. Washington’s offense kept finding one more clean touch, one more finish near the rim, and one more shooter arriving on time.

The second quarter was where the Mystics turned a competitive score into control. Sydney Taylor’s 27-foot three at 8:44 cut the deficit to 28-25, but Washington answered in layers rather than with one burst. Georgia Amoore hit from 24 feet at 6:57 for a 35-27 lead. Lauren Betts stretched it to 43-32 with a jumper at 4:03. Then Amoore drilled another three, this one from 25 feet at 1:42, before Kiki Iriafen scored at 1:08 and again with 30.0 seconds left. By halftime, the Mystics were up 52-41 and looked far more comfortable dictating the terms.

The third quarter removed most of the suspense. Amoore opened the half with another three at 9:48, and by 8:11 she had hit again from deep to make it 62-45. Michaela Onyenwere followed with a 22-foot three at 6:56, and Cotie McMahon’s layup plus free throw at 5:20 pushed the margin to 71-51. Chicago still found offense through Courtney Vandersloot and Gabriela Jaquez, but Washington won the quarter 32-27 and carried an 84-68 lead into the fourth. From there, a 26-12 closing period finished off a result that had been leaning in one direction for a while.

Five scorers, one shared rhythm

The clearest story in the numbers is how connected Washington looked. The Mystics shot 41-for-75 overall, good for 54.7 percent, and 9-for-21 from three. They assisted on 27 baskets, committed only nine total turnovers, and scored 54 points in the paint. That is a profile of an offense getting where it wants to go without wasting many trips. Shakira Austin led with 20 points, Iriafen posted 18 points and 11 rebounds, Amoore added 12 points and five assists, Onyenwere scored 12 with four assists, and McMahon chipped in 11 points and four assists.

Austin and Iriafen gave Washington its most reliable base. Austin scored at the rim, from the midrange, and at the line, while Iriafen’s 8-for-12 shooting and 11 rebounds kept the Mystics productive even when a possession became physical. Around them, the support was steady rather than flashy. Amoore’s four made threes punished any lapse in coverage. Onyenwere and McMahon each helped move the ball. Betts added nine points and eight rebounds. It felt less like a hot streak than a full lineup taking turns being the right option.

Chicago had enough individual production to suggest a closer game was available, at least for a while. Vandersloot scored 14 points with five assists. Taylor had 12 and hit two second-quarter threes. Cardoso, Jaquez, and Rachel Banham each reached 10 points. But the Sky could not stack enough winning possessions together. They finished with 17 total turnovers, were out-rebounded 40-27, and shot 4-for-20 from three. Even after putting up 68 points through three quarters, they managed only 12 in the fourth as Washington’s lead kept expanding.

Our take: the margin matched the habits

Our take: this scoreline says as much about Washington’s discipline as it does about Chicago’s slippage. A team that assists on 27 of 41 made field goals and turns the ball over only nine times is forcing a defense to work on nearly every trip. Add 22 points off Chicago turnovers, and the scoreboard starts to reflect habits, not luck. The Mystics led for 92 percent of the game and built a largest lead of 32, so the final margin did not feel out of step with the way the numbers accumulated.

For Chicago, the first fix starts with the possession battle because that is where the game got away. The Sky’s 44 percent shooting and 18 made free throws were not enough to offset 17 turnovers and a 13-rebound deficit. A more reliable night from outside would also have changed the pressure on Washington; Chicago made only four threes, while the Mystics made nine. When one team is giving away extra possessions and losing the perimeter math, every defensive lapse becomes more expensive.

Washington’s box score leaves very little to nitpick, but there is one area that still looks worth cleaning up: the free-throw line. The Mystics went 19-for-26 overall, and Austin was 4-for-8 there by herself. In tighter games, those misses matter more than they did here. Otherwise, this was the kind of road win that tends to hold its value: balanced scoring, control of the glass, sharp ball movement, and a fourth quarter that turned a strong night into a statement one.

Scoring moments

1. 1st Quarter · 9:40

   Sydney Taylor makes driving layup

2. 1st Quarter · 9:25

   Shakira Austin makes driving layup (Georgia Amoore assists)

3. 1st Quarter · 9:19

   Sydney Taylor makes 19-foot two point shot (Courtney Vandersloot assists)

4. 1st Quarter · 8:32

   Michaela Onyenwere makes tip shot

5. 1st Quarter · 8:13

   Cotie McMahon makes two point shot

6. 1st Quarter · 8:00

   Azura Stevens makes 22-foot three point jumper (Courtney Vandersloot assists)

7. 1st Quarter · 7:08

   Kiki Iriafen makes driving layup (Michaela Onyenwere assists)

8. 1st Quarter · 6:54

   Kamilla Cardoso makes two point shot

9. 1st Quarter · 6:32

   Shakira Austin makes layup (Cotie McMahon assists)

10. 1st Quarter · 5:31

    Shakira Austin makes 17-foot pullup jump shot (Georgia Amoore assists)

11. 1st Quarter · 5:10

    Kiki Iriafen makes 24-foot three point jumper (Michaela Onyenwere assists)

12. 1st Quarter · 4:37

    Alicia Florez makes free throw 1 of 2

13. 1st Quarter · 4:37

    Alicia Florez makes free throw 2 of 2

14. 1st Quarter · 4:24

    Courtney Vandersloot makes 19-foot pullup jump shot (Natasha Cloud assists)

15. 1st Quarter · 3:59

    Shakira Austin makes 17-foot pullup jump shot (Lauren Betts assists)

16. 1st Quarter · 3:07

    Alicia Florez makes driving layup

17. 1st Quarter · 2:52

    Gabriela Jaquez makes free throw 2 of 2

18. 1st Quarter · 2:41

    Lauren Betts makes free throw 2 of 2

19. 1st Quarter · 2:25

    Elizabeth Williams makes free throw 1 of 2

20. 1st Quarter · 2:01

    Alicia Florez makes running layup

21. 1st Quarter · 1:52

    Rachel Banham makes 18-foot pullup jump shot

22. 1st Quarter · 1:14

    Azura Stevens makes driving layup

23. 1st Quarter · 3.4

    Elizabeth Williams makes 2-foot layup (Sydney Taylor assists)

24. 2nd Quarter · 9:39

    Kiki Iriafen makes 13-foot two point shot (Cotie McMahon assists)

25. 2nd Quarter · 9:21

    Sydney Taylor makes 27-foot three pointer

26. 2nd Quarter · 9:01

    Shakira Austin makes 4-foot two point shot (Georgia Amoore assists)

27. 2nd Quarter · 8:44

    Sydney Taylor makes 24-foot three pointer (Courtney Vandersloot assists)

28. 2nd Quarter · 8:24

    Shakira Austin makes layup (Michaela Onyenwere assists)

29. 2nd Quarter · 7:32

    Lauren Betts makes free throw 1 of 2

30. 2nd Quarter · 7:32

    Lauren Betts makes free throw 2 of 2

31. 2nd Quarter · 7:12

    Kamilla Cardoso makes 2-foot layup (Sydney Taylor assists)

32. 2nd Quarter · 6:57

    Georgia Amoore makes 24-foot three point jumper (Michaela Onyenwere assists)

33. 2nd Quarter · 6:42

    Courtney Vandersloot makes driving layup (Kamilla Cardoso assists)

34. 2nd Quarter · 6:42

    Courtney Vandersloot makes free throw 1 of 1

35. 2nd Quarter · 6:24

    Shakira Austin makes 11-foot driving floating jump shot

36. 2nd Quarter · 6:04

    Lauren Betts makes driving layup (Cotie McMahon assists)

37. 2nd Quarter · 4:59

    Cotie McMahon makes 1-foot layup (Alicia Florez assists)

38. 2nd Quarter · 4:23

    Courtney Vandersloot makes driving layup

39. 2nd Quarter · 4:03

    Lauren Betts makes 15-foot jumper (Cassandre Prosper assists)

40. 2nd Quarter · 3:46

    Natasha Cloud makes 16-foot pullup jump shot (Courtney Vandersloot assists)

41. 2nd Quarter · 3:16

    Aicha Coulibaly makes free throw 1 of 2

42. 2nd Quarter · 3:16

    Aicha Coulibaly makes free throw 2 of 2

43. 2nd Quarter · 2:41

    Kiki Iriafen makes two point shot

44. 2nd Quarter · 2:24

    Kamilla Cardoso makes driving layup (Aicha Coulibaly assists)

45. 2nd Quarter · 2:06

    Aicha Coulibaly makes free throw 2 of 2

46. 2nd Quarter · 1:42

    Georgia Amoore makes 25-foot three point jumper (Shakira Austin assists)

47. 2nd Quarter · 1:23

    Aicha Coulibaly makes 16-foot jumper (Natasha Cloud assists)

48. 2nd Quarter · 1:08

    Kiki Iriafen makes two point shot (Georgia Amoore assists)

49. 2nd Quarter · 30.0

    Kiki Iriafen makes two point shot

50. 3rd Quarter · 9:48

    Georgia Amoore makes 22-foot three point jumper (Shakira Austin assists)

51. 3rd Quarter · 9:28

    Kamilla Cardoso makes 4-foot turnaround jump shot (Sydney Taylor assists)

52. 3rd Quarter · 9:20

    Cotie McMahon makes driving layup

53. 3rd Quarter · 8:52

    Gabriela Jaquez makes running layup (Courtney Vandersloot assists)

54. 3rd Quarter · 8:33

    Michaela Onyenwere makes 7-foot fade away jump shot

55. 3rd Quarter · 8:11

    Georgia Amoore makes 25-foot three point jumper (Cotie McMahon assists)

56. 3rd Quarter · 8:04

    Courtney Vandersloot makes free throw 1 of 2

57. 3rd Quarter · 8:04

    Courtney Vandersloot makes free throw 2 of 2

58. 3rd Quarter · 7:42

    Shakira Austin makes free throw 2 of 2

59. 3rd Quarter · 7:18

    Kiki Iriafen makes two point shot

60. 3rd Quarter · 7:09

    Sydney Taylor makes free throw 1 of 2

61. 3rd Quarter · 6:56

    Michaela Onyenwere makes 22-foot three point jumper (Shakira Austin assists)

62. 3rd Quarter · 6:39

    Kamilla Cardoso makes two point shot

63. 3rd Quarter · 5:31

    Azura Stevens makes free throw 1 of 2

64. 3rd Quarter · 5:20

    Cotie McMahon makes driving layup (Georgia Amoore assists)

65. 3rd Quarter · 5:20

    Cotie McMahon makes free throw 1 of 1

66. 3rd Quarter · 5:10

    Gabriela Jaquez makes 17-foot two point shot

67. 3rd Quarter · 5:10

    Gabriela Jaquez makes free throw 1 of 1

68. 3rd Quarter · 4:56

    Shakira Austin makes driving layup (Betnijah Laney-Hamilton assists)

69. 3rd Quarter · 4:56

    Courtney Vandersloot makes technical free throw

70. 3rd Quarter · 4:40

    Courtney Vandersloot makes 14-foot pullup jump shot

71. 3rd Quarter · 4:26

    Shakira Austin makes free throw 1 of 2

72. 3rd Quarter · 4:12

    Courtney Vandersloot makes driving layup (Kamilla Cardoso assists)

73. 3rd Quarter · 3:37

    Lauren Betts makes free throw 1 of 2

74. 3rd Quarter · 3:37

    Lauren Betts makes free throw 2 of 2

75. 3rd Quarter · 2:34

    Gabriela Jaquez makes running layup (Jacy Sheldon assists)

76. 3rd Quarter · 2:04

    Gabriela Jaquez makes 14-foot floating jump shot

77. 3rd Quarter · 1:47

    Betnijah Laney-Hamilton makes 12-foot step back jumpshot

78. 3rd Quarter · 1:28

    Michaela Onyenwere makes free throw 1 of 2

79. 3rd Quarter · 1:28

    Michaela Onyenwere makes free throw 2 of 2

80. 3rd Quarter · 1:14

    Rachel Banham makes 20-foot pullup jump shot (Elizabeth Williams assists)

81. 3rd Quarter · 1:14

    Rachel Banham makes free throw 1 of 1

82. 3rd Quarter · 54.3

    Kiki Iriafen makes driving layup (Lauren Betts assists)

83. 3rd Quarter · 28.9

    Betnijah Laney-Hamilton makes free throw 1 of 2

84. 3rd Quarter · 28.9

    Betnijah Laney-Hamilton makes free throw 2 of 2

85. 3rd Quarter · 6.2

    Elizabeth Williams makes two point shot

86. 4th Quarter · 9:47

    Rachel Banham makes 27-foot three point jumper (Sydney Taylor assists)

87. 4th Quarter · 9:31

    Cassandre Prosper makes driving layup

88. 4th Quarter · 9:31

    Cassandre Prosper makes free throw 1 of 1

89. 4th Quarter · 8:42

    Cotie McMahon makes running layup

90. 4th Quarter · 8:16

    Alicia Florez makes two point shot

91. 4th Quarter · 7:39

    Cassandre Prosper makes 24-foot three point jumper (Alicia Florez assists)

92. 4th Quarter · 6:52

    Sydney Taylor makes free throw 1 of 2

93. 4th Quarter · 6:33

    Michaela Onyenwere makes 26-foot three point jumper (Betnijah Laney-Hamilton assists)

94. 4th Quarter · 6:21

    Aicha Coulibaly makes driving layup

95. 4th Quarter · 6:06

    Shakira Austin makes free throw 1 of 2

96. 4th Quarter · 6:06

    Shakira Austin makes free throw 2 of 2

97. 4th Quarter · 4:19

    Kiki Iriafen makes free throw 2 of 2

98. 4th Quarter · 3:30

    Jacy Sheldon makes free throw 1 of 2

99. 4th Quarter · 3:30

    Jacy Sheldon makes free throw 2 of 2

100. 4th Quarter · 2:45

     Lucy Olsen makes 13-foot pullup jump shot (Angela Dugalic assists)

101. 4th Quarter · 2:32

     Lucy Olsen makes free throw 1 of 1

102. 4th Quarter · 1:55

     Aicha Coulibaly makes free throw 1 of 2

103. 4th Quarter · 1:55

     Aicha Coulibaly makes free throw 2 of 2

104. 4th Quarter · 1:35

     Darianna Littlepage-Buggs makes 22-foot three point jumper (Rori Harmon assists)

105. 4th Quarter · 1:12

     Darianna Littlepage-Buggs makes running layup (Rori Harmon assists)

106. 4th Quarter · 41.1

     Angela Dugalic makes 2-foot layup (Rori Harmon assists)

107. 4th Quarter · 26.7

     Rachel Banham makes 3-foot two point shot (Jacy Sheldon assists)