Kiki Iriafen recorded 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Shakira Austin contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds as the Washington Mystics secured their eighth consecutive home victory by defeating the undermanned Toronto Tempo 93-82 on Wednesday night. The loss mathematically eliminated the Tempo (10-25) from playoff contention in their debut season.
Austin achieved her 16th double-double of the season, with Iriafen also notching her 15th, as Washington dominated the boards, outrebounding Toronto 43-27. Iriafen displayed an impressive shooting performance, going 8 of 12 from the field.
In addition to Iriafen and Austin’s contributions, Michaela Onyenwere scored 14 points, including four 3-pointers, for Washington (21-14). Sonia Citron added 13 points and six assists to the Mystics’ tally. The team scored 38 points in the paint, narrowly missing their 12th consecutive game with 40 or more points in the paint.
With Toronto’s top scorers Marina Mabrey, Brittney Sykes, and Nyara Sabally sidelined for the second game of a back-to-back, Kiki Rice led the Tempo with 19 points, followed by Aneesah Morrow with 13 points and eight rebounds. The expansion team suffered their 12th consecutive defeat.
Washington seized control in the second quarter with a 12-0 run, establishing a 37-24 lead as Toronto struggled to find its rhythm, missing its first five shots. The Mystics continued their dominance in the second quarter, outscoring Toronto 22-9 to head into halftime with a 47-33 advantage.
Onyenwere’s consecutive three-pointers in the third quarter extended Washington’s lead to 60-42 midway through the period.
Upcoming games:
– Toronto Tempo: Host Portland on Friday.
– Washington Mystics: Host Minnesota on Friday.