Mystics' Lindsey Harding defends ball against Connecticut player Sunday's 69-65 contest. Photo/CD Brown.The WNBA's top draft choice, Tina Charles was no match for the Lady Mystics Sunday as the Mystics defeated the Connecticut Sun 69-65 in a game that found the home team leading for most of the contest.
The two teams met previously the week before where the Sun held a fifteen point win (80-65) over the Mystics' head.
But the tide turned finding the Mystics outscoring their opponent 10-3 in the opening minutes of the first quarter, and later in the same quarter by as many as ten (16-6).
Monique Currie led the way with 18 points, behind Crystal Langhorne (voted one of DC's top athletes under 25 years old - the only female listee among the Top Ten) who chimed in with 17.
Lindsey Harding, who provided much of the spark and was chief playermaker of the game (9 assists) fell hard to the floor driving to the basket bruiser her left shoulder. She is expected to be fine. Harding held her own with 10 points, following Nikia Sanford with 11.
The Mystics performed in front of a crowd hovering close to 9,000, energized to see their Mystics back home after a stint of road trips the week before.
"It's great to be home", said Mystics head coach Julie Plank. "I feel like it was the home opener."
The Sun made a courageous comeback effort in the fourth quarter coming to within three points during the period. But it was team plays like steals by Harding leading to a layup by Monique Currie that kept the Sun at bay.
Tina Charles posted 13 points and nine rebounds for the Sun. Kelsey Griffin and Renee Montgomery each added 10 points.
Mystics Going Green
The Mystics are at home this Saturday against the Atlanta Dream in a 7pm contest. The team will feature its second annual “Go Green Night”. Mystics players will wear shirts made of organic fabric that will be available for purchase at the Team Store, located near the F street entrance of Verizon Center.
Soles4Souls, a Nashville-based charity, will be located on the Verizon Center concourse collecting gently worn shoes to be distributed around the world. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 7 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes to people in over 125 countries including Kenya, Thailand, Nepal, and the United States. Additional companies and organizations will be around the Mystics concourse giving away prizes as well as distributing information on how to live a more environmentally conscious lifestyle.
The team will also participate in an event at Barnard Elementary School to work with teachers and 40 3rd and 4th grade students on a Go Green! project to green their school that will teach students the basics of planting a garden and the importance of proper nutrition.
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