The game between the Washington Mystics and Sky was moved to Capital One Arena in anticipation of a big crowd looking to see Reese as a pro for the first time. Seats were limited to 10,000, which sold out. She couldn’t even remember how many tickets she bought.
While all the attention centered on Reese, who already is one of the most recognizable faces in the WNBA, Aaliyah Edwards reminded all in attendance that the Mystics also have a rookie to contend with. The No. 6 overall pick — Reese went No. 7 — stormed out of the gate with Washington’s first eight points and set a new career high by halftime.
Unfortunately for the Mystics, the end result was more of the same. The worst start in franchise history continued with a 10th straight loss, this one a 79-71 defeat despite a halftime lead.
“Extremely frustrated,” Mystics Coach Eric Thibault said plainly afterward.
Reese and Edwards will always be connected in the minds of Mystics fans after the pair were drafted back-to-back. Reese was one of the most prolific players in college basketball, but the Mystics valued Edwards’s versatility over Reese’s low-post dominance. The early returns favored Reese; she scored in double figures in her first five games and entered Thursday with a pair of double-doubles. On the flip side, Edwards has set career highs in points two games in a row while starting for injured center Shakira Austin.
Edwards got the edge in the box score with career highs in points (23), rebounds (14) and blocks (four), becoming the first rookie this season with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in a game. She and Chamique Holdsclaw (1999) are the only Mystics rookies to lead the team in points and rebounds in consecutive games.
“I just need everyone to know when everyone’s talking about the rookie class, don’t forget her name,” said Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, who scored 11. “She made a statement today. She makes a statement every day. She comes in, she works. She puts her head down and works. She needs a little bit more talk, and she doesn’t let that affect her.
“I love having her as a teammate on and off the floor.”
Edwards added: “We were the aggressor in the first half. … I’m just ready for anything.”
Reese, however, got the win, putting up 16 points, 11 rebounds and five steals with LSU Coach Kim Mulkey sitting courtside.
“I wasn’t that efficient, but being able to just get the win is all that’s important,” Reese said. “So many players for us stepped up tonight. … I love my team. I love being here in Chicago, obviously. Being able to come home and have the turnout how we did tonight is great. Going back home with the win is always a good feeling.”
For the second straight game, a horrendous third quarter doomed the Mystics. They had one of their best offensive halves of the season; they led 44-35 at halftime while shooting 54.5 percent, and the points were the second most Washington has scored in a half this season. But the Mystics managed just 10 points in the third quarter for the second consecutive game, tying their fewest in a quarter. The 27 second-half points were their second fewest in any half this season. They shot 29.0 percent in the second half and were 0 for 8 from behind the arc.
Still, the Mystics were down only 68-66 with 3:12 remaining. But the Sky went on a 9-2 run, including a sequence in which Isabelle Harrison scored, then Edwards turned it over on the inbounds pass and Chennedy Carter (25 points) scored on a layup.
“It started with our offense,” Thibault said. “We turned the ball over; I think we had eight live-ball turnovers in the third quarter. And then I thought we got a little mentally not where we needed to be and lost sight of the main stuff we said was important, which was taking care of the paint, rebounding and not fouling. It just spiraled on us in that quarter.
“When you throw the ball all over the gym for a few minutes and you play into a crowd and even late in the game we’re turning over inbounds passes, you don’t get those possessions back.”
Brittney Sykes missed her eighth straight game because of a high ankle sprain, and there still is no timetable for her return. Thibault said she ran on the court Wednesday and is “definitely getting closer.” But she’s still not doing any team work and will have to have an acclimation period, even when healthy, before returning to the lineup.
Austin missed her second consecutive game after aggravating her surgically repaired hip following a couple of falls last week. Thibault said the injury itself is “very stable” and that it flared up in different ways. He was unsure whether Austin had a chance to play this week.
The high-profile games don’t stop. Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever will play at Capital One Arena on Friday with all of the seats in the building open for another huge crowd to see the No. 1 overall pick.