Connecticut Sun vs. Washington Mystics Pick & Prediction MAY 23rd 2023
Stadium: Mosaic Stadium Regina
VS
157
OPENER
-1
157.5o -110
CURRENT
-5 -110
+175
MONEYLINE
-210
88
SCORE
81
EXPERT
MLB
TOTAL
Mario DeLuca
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LOSE 1,
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"They're just tough," White said Sunday after the team's 80-74 win over the Washington Mystics. "They understand how to make winning plays, whether that's on the defensive end and getting the big stuff, getting the critical rebound. You know, getting a big score and just finding ways to win ballgames."
Connecticut gets another chance to exhibit that toughness on Tuesday night when it travels to Washington D.C. to finish the teams' home-and-home series.
Coming off a 70-61 win in Friday night's season opener at Indiana, the Sun got off to a slumbering start against the Mystics and trailed 24-14 after a quarter. But they gradually reeled in Washington, cutting the margin to four at the half and one point following three quarters before taking over in the final 10 minutes.
DeWanna Bonner scored 21 points to pace Connecticut. Brionna Jones recorded a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double, while Alyssa Thomas chipped in 14 points, 16 rebounds and six assists. Thomas has been a stat-sheet stuffer in the first two games, averaging 16 points, 13.5 rebounds and six assists.
Washington nearly followed up its impressive 80-64 victory over WNBA Finals favorite New York with a good road win. But the Mystics turned cold after a great first quarter, when they shot 47.1 percent from the field, to finish the game at 39.1 percent.
Shakira Austin (21 points, 11 rebounds) and Elena Delle Donne (19 points, 11 rebounds) each collected double-doubles for Washington. Natasha Cloud contributed 13 points and six assists.
Delle Donne is pacing a balanced attack through two games with 16 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Cloud and Austin each are scoring 13.5 points per game.
"We're confident with what we have in this locker room," Cloud said. "You'll continue to talk about the superhero teams but we know who we are and we know what we bring every single night. We know what we have in our locker room."
--Field Level Media
PREDICTION
Connecticut Sun
77
82
Washington Mystics
Connecticut Sun vs. Washington Mystics Recap MAY 23TH 2023
All five starters scored in double figures for the Sun on Tuesday night as Connecticut improved to 3-0 with an 88-81 road win over the Washington Mystics.
Alyssa Thomas scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while dishing out five assists for Connecticut. DeWanna Bonner added 15 points, and Tiffany Hayes and Natisha Hiedeman each chipped in 13. Brionna Jones contributed 12 points.
Elena Delle Donne was stellar in defeat for Washington (1-2), pumping in a game-high 27 points on 11-of-18 shooting. Brittney Sykes added 17 and Shakira Austin contributed 14 points to go along with a team-high eight rebounds.
The score was tied at 65 before Hayes drilled a 3-pointer with 7:39 left in the game to give the Sun the lead for good. It started a 13-4 run that Hiedeman capped with a three-point play at the 4:33 mark for a nine-point advantage.
Delle Donne made a layup with 1:14 remaining to pull the Mystics within 81-79, but Bonner converted a short jumper in the lane on Connecticut's next possession to restore control.
In the teams' second meeting in three days, Connecticut and Washington put on more or less a duplicate of the Sun's 80-74 win on Sunday in Uncasville, Conn.
The Mystics started quickly for the second straight game, going up 10-3 less than four minutes in on consecutive buckets from Delle Donne but falling behind 21-17 at the end of the first quarter when Rebecca Allen drove coast-to-coast for a layup.
Connecticut opened up a 35-28 lead just past the midway point of the second period before Austin and Delle Donne combined for 14 straight Mystics points to end the half. Delle Donne had the last eight, including a fadeaway in the last minute that pulled Washington within 43-42 entering intermission.
The Mystics led briefly on three occasions in the third quarter, but Thomas drove for a layup to cap a 6-0 burst that gave the Sun a 63-59 edge going to the fourth.
--Field Level Media
Alyssa Thomas scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while dishing out five assists for Connecticut. DeWanna Bonner added 15 points, and Tiffany Hayes and Natisha Hiedeman each chipped in 13. Brionna Jones contributed 12 points.
Elena Delle Donne was stellar in defeat for Washington (1-2), pumping in a game-high 27 points on 11-of-18 shooting. Brittney Sykes added 17 and Shakira Austin contributed 14 points to go along with a team-high eight rebounds.
The score was tied at 65 before Hayes drilled a 3-pointer with 7:39 left in the game to give the Sun the lead for good. It started a 13-4 run that Hiedeman capped with a three-point play at the 4:33 mark for a nine-point advantage.
Delle Donne made a layup with 1:14 remaining to pull the Mystics within 81-79, but Bonner converted a short jumper in the lane on Connecticut's next possession to restore control.
In the teams' second meeting in three days, Connecticut and Washington put on more or less a duplicate of the Sun's 80-74 win on Sunday in Uncasville, Conn.
The Mystics started quickly for the second straight game, going up 10-3 less than four minutes in on consecutive buckets from Delle Donne but falling behind 21-17 at the end of the first quarter when Rebecca Allen drove coast-to-coast for a layup.
Connecticut opened up a 35-28 lead just past the midway point of the second period before Austin and Delle Donne combined for 14 straight Mystics points to end the half. Delle Donne had the last eight, including a fadeaway in the last minute that pulled Washington within 43-42 entering intermission.
The Mystics led briefly on three occasions in the third quarter, but Thomas drove for a layup to cap a 6-0 burst that gave the Sun a 63-59 edge going to the fourth.
--Field Level Media