Austin scores career-high 20 as Mystics beat Wings

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Shakira Austin, the No. 3 overall pick in last month’s draft, scored 12 of her career-high 20 points in the second half as the Washington Mystics pulled away for a 84-68 win over the Dallas Wings on Tuesday night.

The 6-foot-5 Austin made 9 of 11 from the field, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked two shots. Elena Delle Donne added 14 points for Washington (4-1), Shatori Walker-Kimbrough scored 11 and Natasha Cloud and Kennedy Burke each had 10 points.

The Wings (2-2) jumped to a 19-6 lead but then went scoreless for 4-plus minutes as Washington scored 13 consecutive points to tie it early in the second quarter and Austin made two free throws to give the Mystics their first lead with 3:34 left in the second quarter and followed with a layup 37 seconds later to make it 34-31. Marina Mabrey hit a 3-pointer for Dallas but Cloud answered with a 3 of her own to make it 37-34 at halftime and Washington led the rest of the way.

Mabrey and Isabelle Harrison each scored 16 points for the Wings. Allisha Gray added 14 points and Kayla Thornton scored 13.

Delle Donne made a driving layup, Ariel Atkins hit a 3-pointer and Delle Donne added another 3 in an 8-0 run that made it 58-43 midway through the third and the Wings trailed by double figures the rest of the way.