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Preview: Mystics (0-3) at Sun (1-1)
Date: May 21, 2016 7:00 PM EDT
The Washington Mystics are off to their worst start in nearly a decade.
They'll try a fourth time to earn their first victory in this initial road contest Saturday night against the Connecticut Sun.
With veteran guard Ivory Latta (knee) yet to play and Tierra Ruffin-Pratt and Ally Malott both easing their way back into form from early injuries, Washington (0-3) has struggled to be competitive out of the gate. After dropping the first two by a combined 21 points, the Mystics committed 21 turnovers and allowed Los Angeles to shoot 56.1 percent in Friday's 97-67 defeat.
Washington lost its first eight in 2007.
"It's trying to find five people together right now who are playing well at both ends of the court and we're searching a little bit," Washington coach Mike Thibault told the WNBA's official website.
Tayler Hill tied a career high with 20 points each in the first two games, but went 2 of 9 from the field to finish with eight Friday. Emma Meesseman had 13 points with 11 rebounds.
Though Hill struggled Friday, Thibault expects the fourth-year guard to play more to form of those first two games.
"Confidence and doing work, players feel that way when they have put in the work to be good," he said. "She put in the time during the offseason to be a better player. And it shows."
After totaling 17 points in Washington's first three games against Connecticut in 2015, Hill set her career high with 20 on 7-of-10 shooting off the bench in an 84-73 win Aug. 9.
The Mystics went 3-1 last season against the Sun (1-1), who open the home portion of their schedule following Thursday's 72-68 victory at San Antonio.
Despite shooting 41.8 percent and scoring only two points in the first four-plus minutes of the fourth quarter, the Sun prevailed by scoring on three consecutive possessions in the final period. Camille Little scored a team-high 13 in 24 minutes off the bench while Kelsey Bone had 12 points and 10 rebounds.
"I loved our fight," coach Curt Miller, whose squad regrouped nicely from a 23-point loss at Chicago, told the Sun's official website. "I like the way that we finished."
Bone averaged 16.8 points in the four games with Washington last season.
Date: May 21, 2016 7:00 PM EDT
The Washington Mystics are off to their worst start in nearly a decade.
They'll try a fourth time to earn their first victory in this initial road contest Saturday night against the Connecticut Sun.
With veteran guard Ivory Latta (knee) yet to play and Tierra Ruffin-Pratt and Ally Malott both easing their way back into form from early injuries, Washington (0-3) has struggled to be competitive out of the gate. After dropping the first two by a combined 21 points, the Mystics committed 21 turnovers and allowed Los Angeles to shoot 56.1 percent in Friday's 97-67 defeat.
Washington lost its first eight in 2007.
"It's trying to find five people together right now who are playing well at both ends of the court and we're searching a little bit," Washington coach Mike Thibault told the WNBA's official website.
Tayler Hill tied a career high with 20 points each in the first two games, but went 2 of 9 from the field to finish with eight Friday. Emma Meesseman had 13 points with 11 rebounds.
Though Hill struggled Friday, Thibault expects the fourth-year guard to play more to form of those first two games.
"Confidence and doing work, players feel that way when they have put in the work to be good," he said. "She put in the time during the offseason to be a better player. And it shows."
After totaling 17 points in Washington's first three games against Connecticut in 2015, Hill set her career high with 20 on 7-of-10 shooting off the bench in an 84-73 win Aug. 9.
The Mystics went 3-1 last season against the Sun (1-1), who open the home portion of their schedule following Thursday's 72-68 victory at San Antonio.
Despite shooting 41.8 percent and scoring only two points in the first four-plus minutes of the fourth quarter, the Sun prevailed by scoring on three consecutive possessions in the final period. Camille Little scored a team-high 13 in 24 minutes off the bench while Kelsey Bone had 12 points and 10 rebounds.
"I loved our fight," coach Curt Miller, whose squad regrouped nicely from a 23-point loss at Chicago, told the Sun's official website. "I like the way that we finished."
Bone averaged 16.8 points in the four games with Washington last season.
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