Smith scores 21 as Mystics hold off Fever, 68-65
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Katie Smith made five 3-pointers for a season-high 21 points, Crystal Langhorne finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds and the Washington Mystics held off the Indiana Fever 68-65 on Tuesday night.
The Mystics (10-5), who have won six of their last seven overall and improved to 7-1 at home, nearly let a nine-point lead with 4:16 left slip away. Katie Douglas' 3-pointer with 55.8 seconds left capped a 10-2 run and pulled the Fever to 66-65. Indiana, however, failed to score on its final three possessions.
Smith made two free throws to put the Mystics up three, but missed a pair with 7.7 seconds left. Indiana's Briann January pulled up to attempt a tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds but Matee Ajavon stripped the ball away and the Mystics beat their Eastern Conference rivals for the second time this season.
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Tamika Catchings, who had her streak of 31 consecutive games in double figures end on Sunday, led the Fever (9-6) with 17 points and her free throws with 3:31 remaining started the failed closing run. Douglas scored 13 points.
Washington also had a 35-24 edge in rebounding, including 12 offensive boards.
Indiana won all six meetings between the two squads last season, including two straight to win their first-round playoff matchup. Washington won on the road in the Fever's season opener this year and backed that up with a hard-fought win at home.
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Trailing 38-35 with 4:54 remaining in the third quarter, Smith hit back-to-back 3-pointers to pull the Mystics even and they didn't trail again after she added two free throws to put them up 43-41. Tied at 47, Ajavon hit a pair of jumpers and scored the final five points of the quarter for a 50-45 lead.