Emily Engstler scored a career-high 23 points off the bench and Stefanie Dolson produced a double-double as the Washington Mystics rolled over the visiting Dallas Wings 97-69 on Saturday.
Engstler shot 7-of-11 from the floor and was 6-for-6 from the free-throw line while Dolson finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Karlie Samuelson hit three triples and poured in 17 for the Mystics (3-13), who won for only the second time at home this season.
Ariel Atkins scored seven points and moved into fourth all time on the franchise scoring list (2,556).
The Wings (3-12) dropped their 10th consecutive game despite 19 points from Natasha Howard and 16 from Jacy Sheldon. Kalani Brown chipped in 13. Dallas turned the ball over 22 times.
Depth was a difference as Washington held a 51-17 advantage in bench points, an effort fueled largely by Engstler, who was 3-for-4 from beyond the arc and also pulled down nine rebounds.
Engstler set the tone early in the first of back-to-back games against the Wings and Mystics.
The No. 4 pick of the 2022 WNBA Draft scored 10 first-quarter points, including a three-pointer that stretched the Mystics’ advantage to 16-10 with 3:26 left in the opening quarter.
Two free throws by Shatori Walker-Kimbrough with 0.5 seconds remaining gave the Mystics a 20-13 lead at the end of the first.
Kimbrough gave Washington its first double-digit lead at 24-13 after knocking down a shot just inside the 3-point arc with 9:15 to go in the half.
That shot was part of a dominant second quarter for the Mystics, who led by 18 after Karlie Samuelson drilled an open 3-pointer with 1:40 to play for a 49-31 cushion. She then hit a jumper to extend the advantage to 51-31 with 1:11 left.
Sheldon knocked down a 3-pointer with 58.9 seconds left to momentarily slow Washington’s momentum, but Dallas went into the half trailing 51-34.
The Mystics led 73-51 going into the fourth.
–Field Level Media