Meesseman's 30 lead Mystics past Dream

(TSX / STATS) -- Emma Meesseman dominated in the post, and Kristi Toliver hit five 3-pointers to fuel the Washington Mystics' 77-70 win over the host Atlanta Dream on Sunday at McCamish Pavilion.

Meeseeman finished with a career-high 30 points, scoring on an array of post moves, and Toliver added 19 points for the Mystics, who won their third straight game.

The Mystics came back from a 21-point deficit to beat the Dream in overtime on July 19. Tolliver hit seven 3-pointers and scored 29 points in that win. She was at it again Sunday and connected on four 3-pointers in the first half, as Washington took command.

Toliver and Meesseman each scored 14 points in the first half, and the Mystics led 44-29 at halftime.

Atlanta opened the second half with an 18-9 spurt and cut the Mystics' lead to 53-45 on a layup from Bria Holmes with five minutes left in the third quarter. Toliver answered with a 3-pointer, though, and the Mystics took a 68-56 lead into the fourth quarter.

Atlanta trimmed the lead to seven multiple times in the fourth quarter and had chances to get even closer, but Washington answered every challenge down the stretch to seal the win.

Atlanta forward Elizabeth Williams scored 18 points, and point guard Layshia Clarendon recorded her third double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 assists to lead the Dream, who have lost three of four.

Rookie guard Brittany Sykes finished with 14 points, while Atlanta's leading scorer, Tiffany Haynes, was limited to just three points on one-of-six shooting.

The Mystics outrebounded the Dream 47-32. Krystal Thomas had 12 rebounds for Washington.

Washington returns home to host the San Antonio Stars on Friday.

Things don't get any easier for the Dream, as they head to Minnesota to take on the powerful Lynx on Thursday. Minnesota owns the league's best record at 18-2.

Dream face tall task against Lynx

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(TSX / STATS) -- The Atlanta Dream is coming off the type of win -- a back-and-forth, come-from-behind overtime victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday -- that can spark a late-season surge.

Following it up with an upset of the powerful Minnesota Lynx in Atlanta on Friday would certainly get the league's attention.

The Lynx own the best record in the WNBA at 17-2 and have won four straight games. Guard Lindsay Whalen hit a double-clutch, turnaround jumper to help Minnesota pull out a 76-75 win over the New York Liberty on Tuesday.

"We were fortunate to win the game," Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve told reporters after the hard-fought victory.

The Dream (10-11) also got clutch play from their backcourt in the thrilling win over Phoenix. Atlanta trailed by as many as 18 points in the first half before rookie guard Brittany Sykes fueled a second-half rally.

Sykes finished with 20 points, including a layup with two seconds left to force overtime.

"She's a scorer; we utilized her ability to get to the basket," Dream coach Michael Cooper said. "I don't look at her as the rookie anymore. I look at her like a very good veteran. She's a confident young lady who could easily average between 20 and 25 points."

It was the third straight 20-point performance for Sykes, who is averaging 18.2 points since joining the starting lineup June 30.

Veteran point guard Layshia Clarendon also had a big game for the Dream, finishing with 15 points, nine assists and 10 rebounds. She was initially credited with 11 assists, which would have made her the sixth player in WNBA history to record a triple-double. However, after a league review, two of Clarendon's assists were rescinded due to a stat-keeper error.

While Cooper has praised his backcourt, he has been most pleased with the team's defense.

"One thing we're good at this year, as good as any team since I've been with the Dream, is our defense from sideline to sideline," Cooper said. "We're able to scramble, get to shooters, and get out there and contest shots."

The high-scoring Lynx, led by Whalen and Maya Moore, will test that defense. Minnesota has beaten the Dream six straight times and in nine out of the last 10 meetings overall.