Sky cruise in rout over Mystics, 85-57
The Chicago Sky (9-5) defeated the Washington Mystics (6-6) 85-57 at Allstate Arena in front of 16,304 fans in the team’s second “Camp Day” game of the season. Allie Quigley scored 15 points and Cappie Pondexter added 14 to lead the Sky. Chicago has won four games in a row, their longest winning-streak of the season and improved to 5-1 at home.
The Sky got off to a quick start, as Clarissa Dos Santos scored eight points in the first four minutes of the game to give Chicago an early lead. The Mystics hung around, benefitting from a balanced scoring effort but at the end of the first, the Sky led 24-21.
“I felt today Clarissa Dos Santos got us off to a good start and then everyone else just fed into it,” said Sky head coach and general manager Pokey Chatman.
Chicago began the second quarter on a 13-3 run. Pondexter poured in six points in the quarter to lead the Sky and Quigley added five points off the bench. At halftime, Dos Santos led all scorers with 11 points while Pondexter added 10 and Quigley scored nine to give the Sky a 51-32 lead. Stefanie Dolson led Washington with 11 points.
The Sky continued to be effective on the offensive end in the third quarter. The Mystics cut the lead to 17 points after Dolson’s layup with 9:44 left to play in the quarter but would get no closer the rest of the game. Chicago held the Mystics to only nine points in the third quarter, the lowest third quarter point total by a Sky opponent this season. The Sky led by 27 at the end of the third, 68-41.
Chicago maintained their sizable lead throughout the fourth quarter, as the starters were able to rest for the final 10 minutes of the game. The Sky won by a final score of 85-57. The game marked the largest margin of victory for the Sky this season and Washington’s 57 points are the least amount of points allowed by Chicago this season.
Five different Sky players scored in double-figures. Quigley scored 15, Pondexter added 14, Faulkner scored 12 and Delle Donne and Dos Santos each added 11. Delle Donne grabbed 10 rebounds to record her league-leading eighth double-double of the season. Dolson paced Washington with 15 points.
The Sky will travel to Minnesota next to take on the Lynx on Friday. Chicago defeated the Lynx 90-83 on July 10th and is looking for their first season sweep of Minnesota since the 2007 season.
Washington returns home and hosts Indiana on the same day.
Notes
- With the Sky’s victory, Chicago now has the most wins in the Eastern Conference (9) and sits alone atop the Eastern Conference standings in first place.
- The Sky held the Mystics to a season-low 57 total points for an opponent. Previously, Chicago held Connecticut to 67 points on 6/11/14.
- Chicago’s 85-57 victory over Washington is the Sky’s largest margin of victory (28) this season. Previously, the Sky’s largest margin of victory was 23 when Chicago beat Indiana 95-72.
- The Sky recorded a season-high 12 blocks. The previous high was 11 vs. Minnesota on 7/10/15.
- The Sky’s 42 bench points were the most this season. Previously Chicago’s bench point high was 39 at Indiana on 6/14/15 at Indiana.
- Elena Delle Donne’s double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds is her league-leading eighth of the season.
- Jamierra Faulkner recorded season-highs in points (12), rebounds (7), blocks (3), field goals attempted (12) and three pointers made (2).
- Stefanie Dolson recorded her third double-double of the season as she finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
- Tierra Ruffin-Pratt scored 13 points, her fifth double-figure scoring game of the season.
- Today marked Washington’s largest loss of the season (28 points). Previously, Washington’s largest loss of the season was on 7/2/15 at Indiana.
Quotes
Chicago Sky
Head coach and general manager Pokey Chatman
(Opening Statement…)
“Defense has been an Achilles heel for us early in the season. I was hesitant to talk about it before but we put together several games over the past week or so and we’re starting to lock in. Being committed to the schemes, knowing our personal, and then also marrying that to rebounding allows us to get out and run the court. I felt today Clarissa Dos Santos got us off to a good start and then everyone else just fed into it.”
(On capitalizing on turnovers…)
“We forced 15 turnovers for 18 points and we were on the other side of that for the first five games of the season. To be able to flip that in our favor against a team that is a well-oiled machine is a credit to this team carrying the momentum. I think everyone played significant minutes and to keep that level of defense is what I really like.”
(On adjustments after 1st quarter…)
“When they came to the huddle to start the third quarter I told them I wanted Washington to score less than 18 points. It’s been a good mark in terms of how many points they average and that would have kept them under their average. Once we got that momentum and got to the next level of defense of helping the helper and then boxing out, we were in good shape.”
(On changes by Minnesota…)
“I think the biggest thing is that Minnesota is a high powered offensive team that we all know. They were also the number one defensive team when they came in here. I think sometimes you try to cut the head of the snake off, but Elena is not just the head of our snake. She doesn’t have to score for us to be successful.”
Chicago Sky guard Allie Quigley
(On her 15 points off the bench…)
“It just feels good to go in and contribute and to stay aggressive. When our bench plays well it’s always going to be a positive for us.”
(On carrying momentum over to Minnesota on Friday…)
“I think we’re going to let our defense dictate what’s going to happen. Lately whenever our defense and rebounding is good that’s when everything goes smoothly.”
(On her confidence coming off the bench…)
“That’s huge. It’s good for my confidence, it’s good for the team whenever we can have some bench points and just bench production.”
Chicago Sky guard Jamierra Faulkner
(On building her confidence…)
“These past few games my confidence is where it needs to be especially with my coaches and my teammates believing in me and believing I can do it. My confidence now is pretty good.”
(On taking control in the second half…)
“It felt good to have a lot of control and be able to help my team as much as I can. If not scoring, then assisting; if not assisting, then it’s playing defense. It feels good to contribute. ”
Washington Mystics head coach Mike Thibault
(On the Mystics performance…)
“They [Chicago Sky] out played us in every phase of the game. We didn’t make shots, they did. Their bench scored 42 points. The field goal percentage was about twenty percent different between the two. That’s as bad as we’ve played in a year and a half. Chicago played great. They were ready.”
(On holding Elena Delle Donne to two points in the first quarter…)
“[Delle Donne] was unselfish enough to realize we were guarding her a certain way and then Cappie [Pondexter] and others stepped up and made shots. I think [Clarissa] Dos Santos had a great first quarter. We let other people get going and then it’s really hard because they were able to share the ball.”
Washington Mystics forward Emma Meesseman
(On Chicago’s defense…)
“They played a lot tougher than they did at our court. We kind of expected that because this is the team Chicago is. They did a great job, we just weren’t aggressive enough to finish it.”
(On her development this season…)
“It’s different than last year because I’m more comfortable in my position. Except for the rookies, of course, the team is the same as last year. I also have to learn that people are going to know my game. At the beginning of the season I could play my own game, but it’s getting harder and harder. So that’s going to be part of my development.”
Washington Mystics center Stefanie Dolson
(On strategy for today’s game…)
“To win. To put pressure on them defensively. To execute our offense.”
(On number of turnovers…)
“I think we were just trying to force some things, not letting the play come to us, and reading the defense. We were a little hyped up for the game and weren’t making good decisions on offense and that led to a lot of turnovers.”
(On improving team’s performance in the paint…)
“Go back and practice. We just have to keep working on post-ups and keep working on driving to the basket.”
By the Numbers
Points in the Paint: Mystics 22, Sky 40
Second Chance Points: Mystics 14, Sky 16
Fastbreak Points: Mystics 4, Sky 15
Biggest Lead: Mystics 2, Sky 31
Lead Changes: 5
Times Tied: 2
