A'ja Wilson’s absence felt as Mystics steal late win from Aces

Shakira Austin delivered the decisive basket with 39.8 seconds left as the Washington Mystics edged out the Las Vegas Aces 70-68 on Thursday in Fairfax, Virginia.

Playing without star forward A’ja Wilson, who is sidelined with a wrist sprain, the Aces struggled down the stretch, allowing Washington to outscore them 12-2 in the final 3:45.



The Mystics (10-10) were led by Brittney Sykes with 18 points, while Austin added 16 points and eight rebounds. Kiki Iriafen contributed 12 points and eight boards, and rookie Sonia Citron sparked the comeback with seven of her nine points in the fourth quarter.


Las Vegas (9-11) was paced by Jewell Loyd’s 20 points, with Chelsea Gray posting 13 points and seven rebounds. Dana Evans added 11 points, and Jackie Young had 10 points and seven boards.

Washington trailed by as many as 15 in the third quarter but mounted a late surge. Down 58-66 with under four minutes to go, the Mystics scored seven straight points to cut the deficit to one.

After Young and Sykes exchanged baskets, Austin’s putback gave Washington the lead. The Aces had several chances in the final seconds, but missed shots and turnovers proved costly.

Wilson, the reigning league MVP, injured her wrist in Tuesday’s loss to the Liberty. An MRI revealed a sprain with no structural damage, but there’s no timetable for her return.

The win marked Washington’s fourth straight at home and fifth in seven games, while Las Vegas have now lost four of its last six.