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Tina Charles dropped 31 points to go along with 10 rebounds and five assists on Sunday afternoon to lead the Washington Mystics to a 79-71 victory over the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.
Per Mystics PR, @tinacharles31 just joined Maya Moore & Diana Taurasi as the only players ever to score 30+ points 10+ times in 1 season.
— Jenn Hatfield (she/her) (@jennhatfield1) September 12, 2021
Tina had 31 pts (10-19 FGs) vs. Chicago today, and she's played 25 games this season, so she's scoring 30+ once every 2.5 gms. @TheNextHoops
Mystics point guard Natasha Cloud added 16 points, six boards and eight helpers while Shatori Walker-Kimbrough was 7-of-8 from the field with 14 points and six steals.
Walker-Kimbrough made the key jumper (a deep two) that put Washington up five with 1:18 to go. Charles had made a three that also gave the Mystics a five-point lead with 1:39 remaining.
The Mystics are now a game ahead of the Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty in the race for the eighth and final playoff spot.
Here's are the playoff scenarios moving forward for Washington: pic.twitter.com/QlMkrg8YMD
— Her Hoop Stats (@herhoopstats) September 12, 2021
The Mystics went on a 15-0 run that featured a buzzer-beating three from Leilani Mitchell to end the opening frame.
Other action
Los Angeles Sparks (11-19) over Seattle Storm (20-11), 81-53
The Sparks dominated a Breanna Stewart-less Storm team behind 15 points and 10 rebounds from Brittney Sykes. Seattle took 27 threes and made just six, which hurt. LA was a much more efficient 6-of-13. Nneka Ogwumike added 17 points and seven boards to the winning cause.
Minnesota Lynx (20-10) over Indiana Fever (6-23), 90-80
The Fever came back from down 16 to lead by two in the fourth, but Minnesota finished the game on a 6-0 run. The Lynx shot 21-of-22 from the free throw line, compared to Indiana’s 4-of-4 effort, and 56.1 percent from the field. Napheesa Collier notched 22 points, six rebounds and seven assists for the winners while teammate Sylvia Fowles was good for 18 points, eight boards, two steals and three blocks. Kelsey Mitchell was 5-of-7 from downtown with 25 points, six assists and two steals in defeat while Teaira McCowan was 8-of-9 from the field with 17 points, eight boards and four blocks.