Mystics Take Five To Get A Victory

Mystics 91, Lynx 83

The Washington Mystics began the season with eight straight losses. During that time, they also endured their coach's sudden resignation, a key player's retirement and a trade that altered the identity of the team.

Had their season simply faded into oblivion, few would have been surprised.

But as Washington headed into the all-star break last night by beating the Minnesota Lynx, 91-83, in overtime at Verizon Center -- the Mystics moved to five games below the .500 mark. It's still short of what interim coach Tree Rollins had envisioned at the break. But, he said, it's enough for now.

"We've made good progress," he said.

By beating the Lynx, Washington won for the seventh time in its last 11. But a bigger point is that the Mystics managed to win their final two games before a seven-day hiatus for the all-star break.

"We just needed some momentum going into the break so that when we come back we have our confidence up, knowing that we have a chance still to make a run for the playoffs," said center Nakia Sanford, who tied her career high with 25 points. "Coming back into that second half of the season, if you don't have something to focus on, a goal to go towards, it can be not so much fun. Now, we've got something to reach for."

Washington (7-12) can enter the break entertaining thoughts of a playoff run partly because of Sanford. Rollins encouraged her from the sideline, screamed "keep going to work." Sanford obliged, attacking Minnesota's post players with efficiency. She shot 8 of 12 from the field and 9 of 11 from the free throw line, and had 10 rebounds. She scored 17 points in the third quarter, keying a 14-2 run that helped the Mystics take a 12-point lead.

"That's the best I've seen her play," Rollins said. "She really, really looked like an all-star tonight. So I guess she's trying to ease into the back door. If somebody gets hurt today, maybe she could get chosen."

But Sanford's effort almost wasn't enough.

Before the game, Rollins bombarded his players with warnings of the perils that come with losing focus in the game before the all-star break. He had experienced the phenomenon during his playing days, sometimes catching himself and his teammates thinking about what they would do during the break.

For more than 40 minutes, Minnesota tested the Mystics' focus. Even when the Mystics opened a double-digit lead, Minnesota (5-15) answered with a rally in the fourth, despite playing without starting point guard Lindsey Harding, who sprained her left knee in the third quarter and did not return.

Lynx forward Svetlana Abrosimova hit a three-pointer from the corner to cut the Mystics' advantage to 77-75 late in the fourth quarter. Minnesota's Seimone Augustus tied the score at 79 with 44 seconds left. Minnesota had the ball for the final possession and put the game in the hands of its young star, Augustus, who shot long on a pull-up jumper in front of Beard.

But after outscoring the Lynx 12-4 in overtime -- allowing just one field goal -- the Mystics could finally rest.

"It's very huge," Beard said. "People don't really understand, they don't grasp how hard we've fought back. Taking this win and going into the all-star break with rest, I think it's a great thing for us. I think this team needs rest simply because it seems like we've been pulling and pulling up the hill."

Mystics Notes: Point guard Nikki Teasley and shooting guard Laurie Koehn will represent the Mystics in a pair of skills challenges at Verizon Center before Sunday's WNBA All-Star Game. Teasley will participate in the Dribble, Dish and Swish Skills Challenge while Koehn will compete in the Three-Point Shootout. The events are scheduled to start at 2 p.m. The game tips off at 3:30 p.m., though doors open at 1:30 p.m. . . .

During halftime last night, team officials accepted a mayoral proclamation declaring this week "WNBA All-Star Week" in Washington. Chief of Staff Tene Dolphin made the presentation. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, who was scheduled to make the presentation, had to attend a memorial service . . .

Guard Coco Miller (knee) and center Gillian Goring (back) missed the game with injuries. . . .

The Mystics hit their first 27 tries from the free throw line before Nikki Blue missed a pair with 13 seconds left in the third quarter.