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SPORTS Tuesday 20 augusT 2019
Mystics break WNBA

record with 18 3s,

top Fever 107-68

By The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Elena Delle Donne scored 25
points and hit three of Washington’s WNBA-record 18
3-pointers in the Mystics’ 107-68 victory over the Indi-
ana Fever on Sunday.
The Mystics (20-7) scored the most points in a WNBA
games this season. They have won six in a row, aver-
aging 95.3 points during the run, and 11 of their last
12. Washington broke the 3-point record of 17 set by
Seattle last year against Las Vegas.
Aerial Powers added 19 points, going 4 of 6 from
3-point range, and Ariel Atkins, who also hit 4 3s, had
14 points for the Mystics.
Washington never trailed and scored 18 consecutive
points to open a 20-2 lead. The Fever (8-17) twice
trimmed it to seven points in the second quarter and
once in the third.
Delle Donne made 7 of 10 from the field, 3 of 4 from In this March 22, 2019, file photo, Villanova head coach Jay Wright speaks during a news
3-point range and grabbed nine rebounds. The Mys- conference at the men’s college basketball NCAA Tournament in Hartford, Conn.
tics shot 49% (37 of 76) from the field, hit 18 of 39 from Associated Press
behind the arc and made all their 15 free throws. With Villanova and USA Basketball,
Tiffany Mitchell led Indiana with 17 points.
SUN 78, WINGS 68 Jay Wright on double-duty
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Courtney Williams scored
18 points and Connecticut beat Dallas to clinch a
playoff berth. By TIM REYNOLDS keeping touch with his kids, and obviously
Jonquel Jones had 16 points and 10 rebounds for AP Basketball Writer doing a great job with the USA team. But he
her 14th double-double of the season, and Jasmine Jay Wright immediately accepted a hasn’t forgotten about his Villanova guys.”
Thomas added 16 points and nine assists. Connecti- chance to be an assistant coach with USA To make this work, Wright rearranged Villa-
cut (19-8) has won three games in a row and eight Basketball for this year’s World Cup. nova’s summer schedule, everything from
of 10. And then he checked his calendar. player workouts to coaching meetings. He
Shekinna Stricklen converted a 3-point play to make Villanova students are headed back to was able to do his usual gamut of recruit-
it 35-32 with 39 seconds left in the first half and Con- school this week — while the Villanova ing, but his usual start-of-semester matters
necticut led the rest of the way. Allisha Gray’s layup men’s basketball coach will be halfway like meeting with parents and having new-
with just under four minutes left in the fourth quarter around the world for the next month or comers get acclimated now will fall on his
cut the Wings’ deficit to six, but Thomas answered so. It has been, and will continue being, staff of assistants until he returns.
with a 3-point play to spark a 9-0 spurt that pushed a major schedule challenge for Wright as The Americans needed a 17-hour flight
the Sun’s lead to 78-63 with 1:47 to go. he’s tasked with both helping USA Bas- from Los Angeles before arriving in Mel-
Gray tied her career best with 22 points for Dallas (9- ketball win a gold medal while his play- bourne, Australia, where they resumed
18). Arike Ogunbowale added 20, and Isabelle Har- ers are on campus getting ready to start practice on Monday. They’ll play three
rison had 11 points and tied her career high with 13 their seasons. “It was a snap ‘yes.’ That’s games in Australia, the first of those com-
rebounds. the problem,” Wright said. “And then after ing on Thursday, before heading to China
STORM 82, LYNX 74 you think about it, you’re like, ‘wow.’ Only next week. Popovich believes in a style of
SEATTLE (AP) — Jordin Canada scored 14 points to then do you realize what you’re missing at coaching where everyone gets a chance
and Seattle never trailed against Minnesota. home.” Logistical matters weren’t going to argue all parts of the game — a partici-
Jewell Loyd and Natasha Howard had 13 points to keep him from being part of the staff patory approach, like he uses in San Anto-
apiece, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis added 11 and of assistants that include Golden State’s nio. Wright is primarily helping with the U.S.
Mercedes Russell and Alysha Clark scored 10 apiece Steve Kerr and Atlanta’s Lloyd Pierce — all defensive schemes, but he also gets his
for Seattle (15-13). working under USA Basketball head men’s opportunity to offer suggestions for the of-
Clark made a pull-up jumper, stole a pass and then coach Gregg Popovich of the San Anto- fensive plans. And he’s usually one of the
fed Canada for a basket that made it 11-0 midway nio Spurs. last coaches still working on the floor after
through the first quarter. Minnesota went 0 for 5 from “This is basketball heaven,” Wright said. practice, running groups through shoot-
the field and committed six turnovers during that It’s not uncommon for college coaches ing drills. “We’re meeting in the morning,
span. like Wright to be part of the USA Basketball watching film, meeting with the team,
Odyssey Sims scored 18 of her season-high 30 points mix, which can collide with college cal- practicing, going back, watching film,
in the third quarter for the Lynx (13-14). endars. At the most recent World Cup in then watching film with the team,” Wright
MERCURY 78, LIBERTY 72 2014, Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski was the head said. “And then we all go to dinner, but all
PHOENIX (AP) — DeWanna Bonner scored 17 of her coach and Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim was we talk about at dinner is basketball.”
30 points in the fourth quarter and had 10 rebounds one of the assistants — and that tourna- Wright guided Villanova to national cham-
to help Phoenix beat New York, extending the Lib- ment ended in mid-September. pionships in 2016 and 2018. Over the last
erty’s losing streak to eight games. But at this tournament, which starts Aug. four seasons, only Gonzaga has won more
Leilani Mitchell scored 17 points, and Yvonne Turn- 31 in China with the Americans playing games than the Villanova — the Bulldogs
er added 13 for Phoenix (13-13), which was without their first game against the Czech Repub- have 130 wins, the Wildcats 129. And he
Brittney Griner (suspension), Diana Taurasi (back), lic a day later, Wright is the only college has plenty of USA Basketball experience,
Sancho Lyttle (knee), Essence Carson (calf) and Al- coach on the U.S. roster. Popovich, Kerr like a gold medal as coach at the 2005
anna Smith (ankle). and Pierce all have some time before their World University Games and a select team
Tina Charles had 23 points — 15 in the first quarter — ‘real’ teams start practice. Wright doesn’t coach before the 2010 World Cup and
2016 Olympic runs by the senior national
have that luxury. “He’s kind of doing dou-
and 13 rebounds for New York (8-18).q
ble-duty right now,” Popovich said. “He’s team.q