Washington Mystics lose the lead in final minute, fall to Atlanta Dream at home, 72-70

Seated in her recliner in front of her locker, Washington Mystics forward Crystal Langhorne looked at the microphones before her and tried her best to explain how a six-point lead with 55 seconds left turned into a 72-70 loss to the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday night.

“I don’t know,” said Langhorne, a blank look across her face. “I can’t believe we lost. When you have a lead, you can’t just blow it.”

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Across the room, guard Matee Ajavon, who did her part to help prevent a fourth-quarter collapse by scoring 17 of her 28 points in that period, echoed Langhorne’s feeling after the Mystics lost their second buzzer-beater in three games.

“It’s pretty bad,” she said. “I’d rather lose a 20-point game than to lose a buzz-beater.”

After erasing an early fourth-quarter deficit thanks to the scoring of Ajavon, the Mystics had a 68-62 lead and needed one, possibly two defensive stops to seal back-to-back wins — a first for this trying season. But a familiar foe emerged in that final minute: themselves.

Atlanta’s Iziane Castro Marques started an 8-2 run by hitting three-pointer with 47.7 seconds left. Then teammate Angel McCoughtry hit another three-pointer and on the ensuing play stole the ball from Ajavon and passed it out to Armintie Price, who hit the game-tying breakaway layup with 14.7 seconds left. A six-point game was now tied at 70.

In their final offensive possession, the Mystics stumbled. DeMya Walker tripped slightly as she dribbled into the lane and was whistled for double-dribble. And where the Mystics (4-15) failed, the Dream (10-11) capitalized.

Price found Sancho Lyttle for the game-winning 13-foot jumper from the right wing with 0.9 of a second left. Giddy only minutes before, Mystics players shook hands following the loss and walked off the court in disbelief before 9,536 fans.

Only 12 days before the Mystics had fallen to Indiana, 61-59. Sandwiched between that game and Tuesday’s collapse was Washington’s most complete game of the season, a 91-81 win over New York on Saturday. Finding consistency and finishing games are still skills yet to be mastered for this young and injury-plagued team.

Much of Tuesday’s game was like that. The Mystics scored 22 points in a back-and-forth first quarter before managing only 26 points over the next two sloppy quarters. After trading blows for much of third quarter, Atlanta opened a 55-48 lead early in the fourth quarter.

But then, Ajavon turned more aggressive, driving to the basket, draining three-pointers and taking control of the game. Twice Ajavon scored six straight points for the Mystics. The lead and momentum couldn’t be lost again — but it was.

“We just have to buckle down and know what we’re doing,” Ajavon said, “especially in a three-minute stretch.”

●LIBERTY 58, STORM 56: Cappie Pondexter scored 19 points, including the go-ahead layup with 41 seconds remaining, to lift New York past Seattle in Newark.

Plenette Pierson had nine points and eight rebounds to help the Liberty win for the third time in four games. The Liberty shot 39 percent from the field, including 4 for 12 on three-pointers.

●SUN 69, SKY 58: In Uncasville, Conn., Tina Charles scored 16 points and added 11 rebounds for her seventh straight double-double to tie the WNBA record, helping Connecticut beat Chicago.

Charles matched Lauren Jackson’s mark set in 2003.

“I’m honored to be mentioned with her,” Charles said.

Kara Lawson (West Springfield High) added 14 points for the Sun, which won for the eighth time in the last 10 games. Asjha Jones had 12 points and Renee Montgomery added 10.

●FEVER 81, SILVER STARS 68: Tamika Catchings scored 21 points to lead a balanced offense and provided a defensive gem as host Indiana rolled to a big lead early, then held off San Antonio.

●MERCURY 85, LYNX 80: Diana Taurasi scored 26 points and made a key steal in the final 20 seconds to help host Phoenix snap Minnesota’s franchise-best nine-game winning streak.