TORONTO (Interstat) — Kiki Iriafen scored 25 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Washington Mystics to a 79-62 victory over the Toronto Tempo on Tuesday at Coca Cola Coliseum. Washington trailed by as many as nine points in the first half before a dominant third quarter turned the game. The Mystics outscored Toronto 26-13 in the period, taking a 52-45 lead into the fourth. Washington then sealed the win with a 27-17 edge in the final quarter. Shakira Austin added 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Mystics, while Michaela Onyenwere contributed 15 points. Julie Allemand led Toronto with 15 points, and Nyara Sabally finished with 13 points and four rebounds. Washington improved to 12-10, while Toronto fell to 10-14. The announced attendance was 8,210. The Mystics built their comeback on strong inside play, with Iriafen and Austin combining for key baskets in the paint. Toronto had led 32-26 at halftime but could not sustain its offense in the second half, shooting poorly from the floor. Washington’s defense forced several turnovers and limited the Tempo to 13 points in the third quarter, paving the way for the road victory.

TORONTO (Interstat) — The Washington Mystics overcame a sluggish first half Tuesday night to defeat the Toronto Tempo 79-62 at Coca Cola Coliseum, using a dominant third-quarter surge and a commanding rebounding advantage to sweep the season series. The Mystics, who trailed 32-26 at halftime, outscored Toronto 26-13 in the third period and 27-17 in the fourth to improve to 12-10. The Tempo fell to 10-14 before an announced crowd of 8,210. Washington controlled the glass throughout, grabbing 19 offensive rebounds to Toronto’s five. That disparity helped the Mystics generate 30-of-75 shooting from the floor while holding the Tempo to 23-of-65. Washington also blocked six shots, led by Shakira Austin’s three, and converted 15 of 19 free throws. Toronto hit nine of 10 foul shots. The turning point came early in the third quarter. Washington, down by six at the break, came out with renewed energy. Georgia Amoore drilled a 26-foot three-pointer to cut the deficit to 35-29, and Austin followed with a turnaround jumper. Michaela Onyenwere made two free throws to pull within 35-33, then Amoore tied the game at 35 with a 6-foot turnaround. Kiki Iriafen’s layup gave Washington its first lead, 37-35, with 7:14 left in the third, and the Mystics never trailed again. Iriafen, the game’s top star, finished with 25 points and 14 rebounds in 28 minutes. She shot 9-of-16 from the field and 7-of-9 from the free-throw line, adding one assist. It was her fourth double-double in five games; she had 12 points and 13 rebounds July 12 against Seattle, 12 points and nine rebounds July 6 against Golden State, and 14 points and 10 rebounds July 2 against Atlanta. Austin, a center from Fredericksburg, Virginia, posted 17 points and 10 rebounds with three blocks in 28 minutes. She shot 6-of-14 from the floor and 5-of-6 from the line. Onyenwere contributed 15 points, five rebounds and three assists in 23 minutes, shooting 5-of-11 overall and 2-of-4 from three-point range. Lauren Betts added six points and seven rebounds, Cotie McMahon had two points, five rebounds and three assists, and Sonia Citron recorded three assists and two blocks. For Toronto, Julie Allemand of Liege, Belgium, scored 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including 2-of-5 from beyond the arc, with five rebounds and two assists in 33 minutes. Nyara Sabally of Berlin, Germany, had 13 points, four rebounds, one assist and two blocks, going 3-of-8 from the field and 6-of-6 from the line. Isabelle Harrison posted eight points and five rebounds, Laura Juskaite had seven points and four rebounds, and Maria Conde added two points, four rebounds and three assists. The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair. Iriafen opened the scoring with a layup, and after Toronto pushed ahead 12-7, Onyenwere tied it with a 23-foot three-pointer. Allemand answered with a 26-foot three to give the Tempo a 15-12 lead, and Nyara Sabally’s two free throws made it 17-12 after one quarter. Toronto extended the lead to 21-12 early in the second on Allemand’s driving layup, prompting a Washington timeout. The Mystics chipped away, getting a layup from Austin and free throws from McMahon, but Marina Mabrey’s three-pointer pushed Toronto’s lead to 30-19. Lucy Olsen’s three and a late basket cut the halftime deficit to 32-26. In the third, Washington’s defense tightened. The Mystics held Toronto to 5-of-16 shooting while forcing four turnovers. Iriafen scored eight points in the period, and Austin added four points and three rebounds. A layup by Iriafen with 0:01.1 left gave Washington a 52-45 lead entering the fourth. The fourth quarter belonged entirely to Washington. Austin scored eight points, including a layup that made it 59-49 with 7:16 left, and Onyenwere added a three-pointer and a layup. Iriafen sealed the win with free throws. Toronto never got closer than seven points in the final period. Washington held Toronto to an offensive rating of 82.9 points per 100 possessions, while the Mystics posted a 103.9 offensive rating. The Mystics committed 11 turnovers to Toronto’s 10, but Washington’s 19 offensive rebounds led to 17 second-chance points. The win gave Washington a 3-0 series lead over Toronto this season, following a 68-65 win May 8 in Toronto and an 86-85 victory June 12 in Washington. The Mystics have won four of their last five games, including an 84-79 home win over Seattle on July 12. Toronto has lost three straight after a 93-91 home win over New York on July 12. Washington’s next game is Thursday at home against Portland, followed by a two-game series at Golden State beginning July 18. Toronto hosts Atlanta on Friday before a home game against Las Vegas on July 20. Interstat’s game simulator projected a 104-102 Toronto win. Interstat’s ELO system gave Toronto a 63.30 percent probability of winning. Washington was installed as a pregame favorite by 1.5 points. The total of 141 points went under the over-under line of 171.5.

Mystics visit Tempo in WNBA clash TORONTO (Interstat) — The Washington Mystics visit the Toronto Tempo on Tuesday night at Coca-Cola Coliseum in a matchup of two WNBA teams jockeying for playoff positioning. Washington brings an 11-10 record into the game, while Toronto sits at 10-13 after a dramatic 93-91 win over New York on Sunday. The Mystics are coming off an 84-79 victory against Seattle the same day. The teams have split two meetings this season, both decided by a single point. Washington won 86-85 at home on June 12, and the Mystics took an 86-85 decision in Toronto on May 8. Shakira Austin will be a key player for Washington. The center has been productive, averaging 13.9 points and 9.7 rebounds over her last seven games. In Sunday’s win over Seattle, she logged 27 points, five rebounds and three assists in 33 minutes. She also posted a 16-rebound effort in a loss to Minnesota on June 24 and scored 21 points with nine rebounds in a win over Atlanta on July 2. For Toronto, guard Marina Mabrey has been on a scoring tear. She poured in 30 points with five assists in Sunday’s win over New York. In her previous outing, a 95-108 loss to Dallas on July 10, she scored 34 points. She also had a 53-point explosion against Los Angeles on June 25, going 18-for-25 from the field. Over her last eight games, Mabrey is averaging 28.1 points. The game projects to be high-scoring. Interstat’s game simulator predicts a 104-102 win for Toronto. Both teams are looking to build momentum. Washington has won two of its last three, with the loss coming in a 49-62 defeat to Golden State on July 6. Toronto has alternated wins and losses over its last five, taking two of three at home. Tuesday’s contest marks the final meeting between the teams this season. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. ET.