Shakira Austin scored 21 and Kiki Iriafen had a double-double as the Mystics overcame 27 turnovers to beat the Dream 81-76, sending Atlanta to a fourth straight loss.
Shakira Austin scored 21 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks, leading the Washington Mystics to an 81-76 win over Atlanta Dream despite 28 turnovers.
Kiki Iriafen added 14 points and a team-high 10 rebounds for her eighth double-double of the season, extending the longest active qualifying streak in the WNBA to four games. Iriafen scored on back-to-back layups to push Washington ahead 78-74 with 1:20 to play, and Georgia Amoore sealed it with two free throws in the final seconds.
The Mystics (10-9) overcame a 41-32 halftime deficit despite 18 turnovers and 22 fewer shots than Atlanta. They responded in the third quarter with five 3-pointers to take and hold the lead, finishing 9-of-16 from beyond the arc.
Austin said turnovers nearly cost Washington an unwinnable game.
"God was on our side to be able to have that many turnovers. Coach said it himself, we have to give ourselves a real chance of winning, and you can't do that when you keep giving the ball away," Austin said. "We just have to be more decisive with our reads, play with better flow, get out in transition, and execute our sets."
Mystics coach Sydney Johnson said the takeaway was less about the mistakes than how his young team responded to them.
"As poorly as we were playing and as rough as our execution was, there wasn't any finger-pointing. There was accountability, ownership, togetherness, and toughness," Johnson said. "Did I think we could overcome 28 turnovers? Absolutely not. But togetherness and toughness are a recipe for success."
Washington played without Sonia Citron, who sat with knee soreness after her 32-point game in a four-overtime win over Portland. Rookie Alicia Flórez stepped in, scoring a career-high 13 points, with six rebounds and seven assists off the bench.
"That's why Georgia was able to spend the third and fourth quarters cheering for Alicia every second she was out there, and then come in and knock down huge free throws when her number was called," Johnson said. "That kind of energy is something we've built here in Washington."
Austin, who came up with a critical late rebound to force a jump ball, said her performance stemmed from preparation.
"I spent time talking with my circle, watching film, studying defensive clips that were successful against them, and figuring out how to get back to being myself," Austin said. "I have to impact the game on both ends of the floor because that's what separates me."
Rhyne Howard scored 24 points with five 3-pointers, Allisha Gray added 17, and Angel Reese had 13 points and 13 rebounds. The Dream shot 36% and made 7 of 31 from 3, losing for the fourth time on the road.
Jordin Canada, who scored 10 points, said she expected to be fined for her comments about the offiicals but wanted to make them anyway.
"I thought the officiating tonight was awful. It was horrible. I thought at a crucial point in the game, when they started making their run, the officiating helped them," Canada said. "I don't know how many times Angel Reese has to get beat up in the paint before she gets a whistle."
Dream coach Karl Smesko echoed the frustration while crediting Washington's shooting.
"I don't want to take anything away from Washington because they played great and shot the ball really well. But the officiating is horrendous," Smesko said. "These players are too good to be getting some of the whistles we're receiving right now."
Smesko said the Dream repeatedly sent film to the league without seeing change, highlighting their shooting slump at the core of the losing streak.
"We forced a lot of turnovers, won the offensive rebounding battle, but we have to make shots, and we haven't," Smesko said. "We have to find a way to win games even when we don't shoot the ball well and the other team does."
The Mystics host the Golden State Valkyries on Monday. The Dream open a four-game homestand against Golden State on Saturday.
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