Stars-Mystics preview
The Washington Mystics, coming off an impressive defensive performance against defending WNBA champion Minnesota, takes aim at the lowest-scoring team in the league Wednesday afternoon. Washington (8-8) will play host to the San Antonio Stars, averaging 74.2 points per game and shooting 40.6 percent from the field, also a league-worst. The Stars (3-11) are last in the Western Conference. The Mystics on Sunday defeated the visiting Lynx 87-63 at the Verizon Center, handing Minnesota just its second loss of the season. Washington limited forward Maya Moore to five points (14 below her average) and held guard Seimone Augustus scoreless for the first time in her 11-year WNBA career. "It started on our defensive end," Washington guard Tayler Hill said on WNBA.com. "We came out with so much energy and pressure in full court and that translated into our offense." Hill and forward Emma Meesseman are each having the best seasons of their careers. Meesseman, who scored 16 of her 20 points against Minnesota in the first quarter, is averaging 15.1 points per game. Hill is at a team-best 15.8. Meesseman was the WNBA leader in 3-point shooting (54.2 percent) entering Tuesday night's league action. Defensively, the Mystics' focus will be on San Antonio's Kayla McBride. The third-year guard is averaging 18.6 points per game and is coming off a 28-point effort in Saturday's 73-69 victory over the Atlanta Dream. That ended a four-game skid for the Stars. "I was just sick of losing close games. I'm serious," McBride said. "As a leader and as a competitor, I felt like I had to step up. There were contributions from everybody, but to bring that energy and to be that leader and that scorer that I like to be, that was good for us." Washington has won six of its past eight games to get to .500 for the second time after an 0-3 start. San Antonio, which is 0-6 away from home, is starting a three-game road trip that includes visits to Indiana and Minnesota. This is the first meeting of the season between the teams. The Mystics won both matchups in 2015. |