Kiki Iriafen scored 20 points with a go-ahead layup in the final minute as the Washington Mystics beat the New York Liberty 86-83 to end an eight-game streak.
The game was tied 19 times, and neither team led by more than eight points. Kiki Iriafen broke the last tie, taking a feed from Sonia Citron for a layup with 27 seconds left to give the Washington Mystics an 86-83 win over the New York Liberty on Friday night.
The loss ended New York's eight-game winning streak.
Iriafen had 20 points and six rebounds in her first game back from an ankle injury that cost her three games. She turned the ankle against Indiana on June 8.
Washington fell behind 77-71 with about five minutes left. Iriafen scored the next six points, part of a 10-2 stretch that moved the Mystics in front 81-79 with 1:33 to play. Sabrina Ionescu tied it for New York. Citron made two free throws for an 83-81 lead. Satou Sabally tied it again at 83 with two free throws at 48.6 seconds, setting up Iriafen's layup. After Breanna Stewart missed a contested layup with 14 seconds left, Iriafen made one of two free throws for the 86-83 final. Ionescu and Sabally each missed a 3-pointer in the closing seconds.
Washington won despite making just 4 of 18 from 3-point range. The Mystics scored 48 points in the paint to New York's 36 and went 22 of 32 at the free-throw line. Citron had 16 points, eight assists, and five steals. Shakira Austin scored 14 with seven rebounds. Georgia Amoore added 10 points and eight assists. Michaela Onyenwere had 11 points and made all five of her free throws. Lauren Betts scored eight off the bench with five rebounds.
New York made 10 of 34 from 3-point range. Leonie Fiebich scored 19 points, and Stewart had 16 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. Jonquel Jones added 10 points and 10 rebounds. Sabally scored 13 off the bench. Ionescu finished with nine points on 4-of-13 shooting. The Liberty, who played without Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, had 26 assists but turned the ball over 14 times.
The teams were tied 23-23 after the first quarter. New York leaned on its bench to lead 43-39 at the half, getting eight points each from Sabally and Han Xu among 20 first-half reserve points. Washington outscored New York 24-18 in the third quarter to lead 63-61 entering the fourth. There were 12 lead changes.
Washington had not won a regular-season game against the Liberty since the 2023 finale, a span of 10 games. New York won the teams' meeting last Sunday 86-64 without Iriafen.
Washington opens a home-and-home with Minnesota on Sunday at the Lynx. New York starts a four-game road trip Sunday at Los Angeles.
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