Mystics Fall to Sting, Lose 10th in a Row

Sting 62, Mystics 56

Mystic Chamique Holdsclaw goes in against the Sting's Andrea Stinson, left, and Tammy Sutton-Brown. (John Mcdonnell -- The Washington Post)

Because half of their two victories this season had come against the Charlotte Sting, the Washington Mystics had cause for optimism before the rematch last night at MCI Center. Hope escalated when they scored the game's first 11 points.

Then the familiar folly took place, with the Mystics setting a WNBA record by not attempting a single free throw the entire game and suffering their 10th straight loss, 62-56. The record for consecutive losses is 11 set by the first-year Mystics in 1997, when they went 3-27.

"It's getting difficult," Coach Marianne Stanley said. "You still keep at it. But it makes it more difficult."

Stanley stayed with the team far longer than usual, and said: "It's private." She said the effort was good "for the most part."

"The main thing is staying positive with each other," guard Coco Miller said. "There's still half a season to go."

The Mystics are 2-13. At this point a year ago, Stanley's first season as their coach, they were 11-4.

Not getting to the foul line has been a season-long problem, and the zero-for-zero was lower by one than Miami's effort nearly three years ago. Charlotte had nine foul shots and made eight. So the nine combined free throws also were a record, one fewer than the New York Liberty and Cleveland Rockers attempted Aug. 8, 2000.

"We're not attacking the basket enough," Miller said. "We're probably settling for too many outside shots."

Stanley also was frustrated by many "unforced errors . . . 18 turnovers is too many."

Everything started splendidly for the Mystics. They forced 10 turnovers in the first seven-plus minutes and built the 11-0 lead on two inside shots by Murriel Page and a well-defended three-pointer by Stacey Dales-Schuman from the left baseline. Page also had four steals during that surge.

The wonder among sharp-eyed fans was if the Sting players would ever sit down. As is customary throughout basketball, they stand until their team scores. But in addition to all those turnovers, the Sting could not even make a decent shot until point guard Dawn Staley's three-pointer from beyond the key with 11 minutes 57 seconds left before halftime.

On the next possession, Miller sank a three-pointer from the left wing to lift Washington's lead back to 11 points. But Stanley was concerned about some inefficiency that kept the Mystics' advantage from being larger. Backup guard Helen Luz, whose strength is outside shooting, missed a very-open three-pointer and Chamique Holdsclaw was just 3 for 10 in the first half.

For the game, Holdsclaw had 16 points and 12 rebounds. She also had seven turnovers. After the early flurry of turnovers, the Sting had just five. Guards Andrea Stinson and Staley were a combined 10 for 16 and Stinson had five assists and six steals. Forward Shalonda Enis had several key baskets down the stretch.

Charlotte narrowed the first-half deficit to 22-19 with 52 seconds left on a transition drive by Stinson. Miller (20 points on 16 shots) quickly hit a pull-up jump shot from the right baseline for the final points of the opening half.

It took the Sting fewer than four minutes to not only catch the Mystics, but also grab a 33-29 lead. Staley made a three-pointer and an eight-footer and Enis had two layups, one off a feed from Staley and the other after a steal near the basket.

The Mystics had a brief lead, 47-46, on Holdsclaw's pull-up jumper that ended a length-of-the-court rush after a rebound. Washington countered another Sting surge and pulled to 56-54 on a Holdsclaw drive with 1:36 seconds left. But Enis made a drive and two foul shots. And the Mystics in the final two minutes fouled with the shot clock under 10 seconds, which gave Charlotte 30 more precious seconds.

• SPARKS 81, ROCKERS 75: Lisa Leslie had 26 points, 13 rebounds and 5 blocked shots to lead Los Angeles at home. Nikki Teasley scored 15 points and handed out 11 assists for the Sparks, who made 27 of 30 free throws.