Mystics Insider

Detroit Shock Relocating to Tulsa

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:13:15 -0500

It's official, one of the WNBA's most successful teams is relocating. After rumors swirled and reports surfaced this week, the league has announced that the Detroit Shock are moving to Tulsa, Okla. Here's what Tom Wilson, President of Palace Sports and Entertainment in Detroit, said about the decision to give up the franchise. You can read the league's full release here. "This decision was one of the toughest we have ever made; it was not reached easily," Wilson said. "The Shock has been a true force in the WNBA, but the fact of the matter is that the economic realities have caused us to make this decision. We deeply appreciate what the Shock have meant to Detroit and want to publicly thank the players, coaches and the entire organization for their class, commitment and championships. They represented Detroit well and we are delighted that they have found a new and

Coleman Named to WNBA All Rookie Team

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:16:23 -0500

The WNBA's 13 coaches selected Marissa Coleman as one of five rookies, regardless of position, to be named to the league's All Rookie team. Despite spraining her ankle in the middle of the season Coleman averaged 6.1 points and 2.7 points for the Mystics this season off the bench. The other members of the 2009 All Rookie Team are: forward Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta), forward DeWanna Bonner (Phoenix), guard Shavonte Zellous (Detroit) and point guard Renee Montgomery (Minnesota). Check out the league's full release here.

Game 2: Fever 81, Mystics 74

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:49:09 -0500

The Mystics have led the Indiana Fever heading into the fourth quarter in five out of the six games between the two teams this season. Each game has been decided, or significantly impacted, by the fourth quarter and also free throws. Indiana set a new franchise playoff record with 32 free throws made in their series-clinching 81-74 win over the Mystics at Conseco Fieldhouse. In order, the Fever made 26, 28, 23, 19, 23 and 32 free throws in each of their match ups with Washington this season. "I'm proud of our team," Mystics Coach Julie Plank said. "I've been proud of them all year. I thought we outplayed them in every facet of the game. . . . There was a lot of discrepancy at the free throw line and that's hard to overcome."

Game 2: Mystics at Fever

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 18:40:28 -0500

Greetings from Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis where everyone is getting ready for Game 2 of the WNBA's Eastern Conference Semifinal as the Mystics try to extend their season. Tonight's game is being televised on NBA-TV and I'll also be tweeting from press row during the game. You can follow me at @WPKatieCarrera. Here are some keys to the game for the Mystics:

Game 1: Fever 88, Mystics 79

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:26:15 -0500

It seems as though all of the Mystics' games against the Fever this season have come down to a fourth-quarter battle of wills. And for the fifth time in 2009, Washington was unable to overcome Indiana, falling 88-79, in the opener of the first-round Eastern Conference playoff series. The Fever has outscored Washington 134-91 in the fourth quarter in the five games between the two teams this year. The Mystics now face the daunting task of two must-win games at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis if they hope to remain in the playoffs. "This isn't the only game we've done this," Lindsey Harding said of the fourth quarter errors. "This is deja vu all over again. We just have to be able to be physically and mentally strong to fight in the fourth quarter. It's almost as if they're playing hard but then they turn it on to another level. We

Game 1: Fever at Mystics

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:50:18 -0500

Here's a primer to help get you ready for the Mystics' playoff opener tonight against the Indiana Fever in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at the University of Maryland's Comcast Center. First, I've received a few questions about the playoff format. It is a best-of-three series and the second and third (if necessary) games will both be in Indianapolis. The conference championships is also a best-of-three, while the league championship series is best-of-five. If you have any reservations about the Mystics adjusting to Comcast Center, Marissa Coleman might be able to ease your concerns. "It's a shooter's gym and we have a lot of pure shooters on our team. I think we'll do really well there." Rather than put it into almost every positional discussion, here's the blanket reminder that the Fever boast quite a bit more big-game experience and playing time together than the young Mystics, the

Langhorne Wins WNBA Most Improved Award

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:05:19 -0500

The WNBA officially announced that Mystics forward Crystal Langhorne was named the 2009 Most Improved Player of the Year. Langhorne received 19 of 40 votes for the award with the next closest vote-getter being Atlanta's Sancho Lyttle with 6. Langhorne will be presented with the award in a pregame ceremony before tonight's tipoff. Check out my story about Langhorne's turnaround season from today's paper here and the league's release here.

Beard, Ajavon Blog the Playoffs

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:49:31 -0500

The WNBA enlisted Alana Beard and Matee Ajavon as the Mystics to update a playoff blog this post season. You can check out their first entry, which is excerpted below, here. BEARD: It's great to be in the playoffs! Even though we clinched Saturday night, we celebrated in the locker room after our loss against the Liberty because when we found out we clinched we were already on our bus on the way to New York. We also wanted to finish out the regular season and not overlook New York. Unfortunately, it looked like we did overlook them by the way we played. AJAVON: I agree with her. BEARD: There's just a different feeling this time around with this Mystics team. The chemistry is there. The first two years I was in the playoffs I felt like the teams I was on were just satisfied with making the playoffs. This

Happy Homecoming for Former Terps

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:27:20 -0500

A few minutes after the Washington Mystics received word that they had clinched a playoff spot on Saturday night, rookie forward Marissa Coleman sent a tweet: "Playoff bound! Comcast center, here we come. Oh how I've missed thee..." Washington opens its best-of-three, first-round playoff series against the Indiana Fever (22-11) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the University of Maryland's Comcast Center in College Park because of a scheduling conflict at Verizon Center with the BBC production "Walking with Dinosaurs". But for the Mystics' two former Terrapins -- Coleman and Crystal Langhorne -- the relocation allows them a chance to head back to their old stomping grounds. "I'm so excited to go back," Coleman said after the Mystics' practice Tuesday evening. "I had four really, really great years at Maryland. I think my teammates are sick of hearing of me talking about Maryland and how much I loved it. So,

Washington Clinches Playoff Berth: Mystics 82, Dream 64

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 22:31:54 -0500

Well the title of this entry has the big news. The Mystics' win tonight, combined with Chicago's 80-69 loss to Detroit, allowed Washington to clinch its fifth playoff berth in franchise history and first trip to the postseason since 2006. Because of the tiebreakers the Mystics (16-17) own against Chicago (16-18) the result of the regular season finale Sunday afternoon at New York will have no bearing on Washington's fate. The Mystics claimed the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, and are slated to face top-seeded Indiana (22-11) in the first round. Over the past 20 minutes or so the Mystics have walked down a Verizon Center hallway to the bus that will take them up to New York for Sunday's game against the Liberty in various stages of shock after hearing that Chicago lost. Vicki Bullett was double checking with everyone in earshot that the were in and the

Dinosaurs May Force Mystics Out of Verizon

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:15:22 -0500

Because of a scheduling conflict at Verizon Center, which will be hosting a BBC production called "Walking With Dinosaurs," if the Mystics make the playoffs they will play their first round series at Comcast Center in College Park. This of course assumes that the Mystics, who sit in fifth place and out of the playoff picture in the WNBA's Eastern Conference, make the playoffs. Washington has two games remaining, home on Saturday against Atlanta and away at New York on Sunday. Here's what Chief Operating Officer Greg Bibb had to say in a news release yesterday. "While it is unfortunate we will not be able to play a first round game at our home arena, Verizon Center, we are fortunate to have a terrific facility located in close proximity in the Comcast Center," Bibb said. "I appreciate the support and cooperation of the University of Maryland athletic department in providing

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Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:15:22 -0500

Fever 72, Mystics 61

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 23:43:20 -0500

Despite getting all-star Alana Beard back from a two-game absence because of an ankle injury, the Mystics couldn't overcome the Fever on Sunday afternoon in Indiana. It was the fourth time this season that Washington fell to the East's top seed. The Mystics made just 4 of 26 shots in the fourth quarter, when they got outscored 23-11. "We just weren't following," Mystics Coach Julie Plank told the Associated Press. "We had 11 offensive boards and scored five second-chance points. We finish, we win the game." Detroit (16-15) continued its late-season surge, knocking off Chicago, 84-75, to move 1 1/2 games ahead of the Mystics, Sky and Sun (all 15-17) for third place in the Eastern Conference playoff race. For more on Sunday's game check out the recap and the box score.

Sky 92, Mystics 86

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:45:10 -0500

With a chance to put some much-needed distance between themselves and one of their Eastern Conference foes, the Mystics let this one slip right through their fingers with two major gaffes late in the game. Things looked promising as Washington took the lead, 85-84, on Crystal Langhorne's jump shot with 40 seconds left. On Washington's next possession, Matee Ajavon, who led the Mystics with a career-high 32 points, fell as she was driving to the basket and Chicago's Tamera Young stole the ball with 20.9 seconds remaining and the Mystics down, 86-85. Monique Currie fouled Young on the other end and Young sunk both free throws to extend Chicago's lead to 88-85. Mystics point guard Lindsey Harding brought the ball upcourt on the ensuing play, but as she crossed under the basket, she was whistled for stepping out of bounds on the baseline -- the team's second turnover in as

Mystics 78, Storm 67

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:46:32 -0500

It's no secret that Washington needed a win tonight. The playoff implications are the obvious reason, the Mystics also needed to generate some extra confidence and momentum in the first of three games in four days. By taking control of the fourth quarter -- Washington outscored Seattle 23-14 -- and showing a balanced attack without their leading scorer, the Mystics got all of that and more. Five Mystics -- Monique Currie (17), Matee Ajavon (16), Marissa Coleman (14), Crystal Langhorne (12) and Nakia Sanford (10) -- scored in double figures to help end Seattle's six-game winning streak. And this performance comes four days after six player recorded double digits against Minnesota. "I think we're really gelling at the right time," Currie said. "At the end of the day everybody just stepped up. It's you win or you go home and we want to keep playing. We don't want our season

Beard Won't Play Against Storm

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:38:27 -0500

I saw Alana Beard as she came off the court from warm ups and when asked how she felt the Mystics' All Star smiled and gingerly hopped on her left leg, but wouldn't say if she would be in tonight's lineup. Beard, who sprained her left ankle on Sunday, will not be in Washington's lineup against Seattle tonight at Verizon Center, as it appears the Mystics have decided to not take a chance with their franchise player and leading scorer (16.6 ppg). The Mystics aren't the only one missing a key player though. Seattle center Lauren Jackson will miss her third game with stress fractures in her back.