Sun fall behind early as Washington rolls to 37-point win

Connecticut’s Bria Hartley (14) drives to the basket during Sunday’s WNBA game in Washington. (Photo by Stephen Goslings/NBAE via Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 8, 2025 – Brittney Sykes scored 28 points with a team-high six assists to lead the Washington Mystics to a 104-67 win over the Connecticut Sun before a sellout crowd of 4,200 at the CareFirst Arena on Sunday.

Sykes was one of five Mystics to score in double figures with Shakira Austin scoring 14 points and Aaliyah Edwards adding 12 points. Kiki Iriafen added 12 and Sonia Citron scored 11.

Washington (4-6) scored on their first shots from the floor and didn’t miss a field goal until 3:09 was remaining in the first quarter, racing out to an 18-7 lead.

Tina Charles finished with a team-high 17 points and nine rebounds for the Sun (2-7), who trailed by as many as 38 points. Charles has scored at least 10 points in eight of Connecticut’s nine games and has led the team in scoring five times.

Second-year guard Jacy Sheldon had a season-high 15 points in 23 minutes of action off the bench. She hit 6-of-8 shots from the floor and drained three 3-point shots.

Marina Mabrey had 15 points, seven rebounds and a season-high eight assists before fouling out of the game for just the third time in her career.

The Sun trailed by seven points, 28-21, after one quarter and gave up a 9-2 run to the Mystics to open the second quarter as Washington extended their lead to 37-23. The Sun had three turnovers in the first two minutes of the second quarter. Washington led by 14 at the half, 50-36.

Washington opened up the third quarter with a 12-4 run to extend their lead to 18 points, 62-40.

Washington converted on 57.1 percent of their shots from the floor (36-of-63). It’s the second time this season that an opponent has shot more than 57 percent or more from the floor against Connecticut.

Only 11 times in franchise history have the Sun allowed an opponent to shoot 57 percent or better from the floor.

“There is no excuse for showing up the way we did tonight,” Sheldon said. “We just need to get back in the gym. I think we have proven we can compete with the best teams in the league but when we don’t show up ….

“We have to go back to the drawing board and get better,” she said.

Head coach Rachid Meziane said, “We didn’t start the game in the right way. No energy. No defense.”

Olivia Nelson Ododa, who hurt her right ankle in Friday night’s win over Atlanta, did not play.

The Sun return to action on Sunday, June 15 when they host the Chicago Sky at noon at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

NOTES: This was a Commissioner’s Cup game and the Sun fall to 1-2 in the in-season tournament. … Washington scored 56 points in the paint, the most the Sun have given up this season … Haley Peters made her first WNBA start for Nelson-Ododa. Peters was scoreless. … The Sun committed 15 fouls against Atlanta on Friday. Against the Mystics, the Sun had 15 fouls in the first half and committed a season-high 29 fouls. … The Sun’s worst 10-game start in franchise history was a 2-8 mark in 2016.

Washington 104, Connecticut 67
At Washington
Connecticut (67) Peters 0-1 0-0 0, Charles 7-17 3-3 17, Hartley 2-8 2-2 6, Mabrey 6-15 1-1 15, Rivers 1-6 0-0 2, Morrow 1-4 0-0 2, Diaby 0-0 2-3 2, Brown 3-7 0-0 8, Sheldon 6-8 0-0 15. Totals 26-66 8-9
Washington (104) Iriafen 6-8 0-0 12, Dolson 0-1 0-0 0, Sykes 6-12 14-15 28, Sutton 4-7 0-2 10, Cirtron 5-10 1-2 11, Engstler 1-3 0-1 2, Austin 5-6 3-5 14, Edwards 5-8 3-5 13, Kone 1-2 2-2 4, Olsen 1-1 2-2 5, Melbourne 2-5 0-3 5. Totals 36-63 26-37
Connecticut (2-7)       21  15  17  14 — 67
Washington (4-6)        28  22  28  26 — 104
Three-point goals: Connecticut 7-24 (Peters 0-1, Hartley 0-5, Mabey 2-6, Rivers 0-2, Morrow 0-1, Brown 2-4, Sheldon 3-5); Washington 6-18 (Sykes 2-4, Sutton 2-4, Cirtron 0-3, Engstler 0-1, Edwards 0-1, Olsen 1-1, Melbourne 1-3)