Story By: Erin Zollars
Photos By: Sol Tucker
Washington, D.C–
If Mystics fans were looking for an amazing series against the Las Vegas Aces, they started out with one amazing finish tonight, as they pulled together a few final shots and one key one by Elena Delle Donne with 32.6 seconds remaining to hold of the Aces, 97-95.
Las Vegas had one more shot to tie the game when Kelsey Plum drove the length of the court and got a good look and what she thought was a foul on the shot to end the game and give the Mystics a 1-0 lead in the best of 5 game series.
The big difference in this game tonight was in the final three minutes of the game both teams were trading buckets and the Aces just could not find a way to keep Delle Donne away from the bucket.
The Mystics were able to contain the Aces’ hot shooting in the second half. Emma Meesseman scored 13 of her 24 points in that period to help Washington regain the lead.
“This is one of the best teams I have had the opportunity to coach,” said Mystics Head Coach Mike Thibault. “Everything they threw at us defensively we found a way to break. We did make a few errors down the stretch and could not get off the shot in time, in which they took advantage of. It will be another tough battle on Thursday night.”
Las Vegas relied heavily on the inside game of Liz Cambage that seemed to give the Mystics quite a few problems, but even with the emergence of Kelsey Plum in the second half, the Mystics found a way to answer each time she hit a bucket from long range.
If the Mystics hope to contain the Aces again on Thursday night, they will need to find a way to stop them from shooting over 60 percent from the field. Tonight they shot 61.8 percent.