After a slow start, the Washington Mystics eventually pulled away and beat Team Brazil 71-56.
Tayler Hill started, played 21 minutes and scored 12 points including two three point shots. Emma Meesseman also scored 12 points off the bench and added three rebounds and three dimes. Nadirah McKenith played 23 minutes and got to start at the other guard slot with Ivory Latta not playing but gave up four turnovers and only dished two assists. I wasn't there, so I don't know why Latta didn't play. And Natalie Novosel played 16 minutes where she got two steals, two rebounds, but only two points, both on free throws.
Among the veteran players, Monique Currie had the best day with six assists and no turnovers, and also scored 11 points,7 of them with free throws. However, she was 2-9 overall shooting so hopefully that's just a bad day at the office in that regard.
Both teams didn't shoot well at all with Brazil making a tad shy of 34% of their shots and the Mystics couldn't even get a third of theirs in, so I don't think this game could have been all that great to see in person. The Mystics made 27-32 free throws while Brazil made 12 of 14 and without the favorable free throw differential which is indicative of a Mike Thibault team the last couple years, the Mystics could have lost this one, but again, that's without actually watching this game.
Besides Currie's off-day shooting wise though she was dishing the rock very well, Tierra Ruffin Pratt was 0-7 shooting overall and Drey Mingo was 1-5 shooting overall so that may have made the stats look worse than the game.
Still, I'm happy that Coach T is focusing on the young players even though it's preseason.
On Saturday, DC travels to Bismarck, North Dakota to play the Minnesota Lynx and Matee Ajavon should return for that game.