Aces preview: 10 in a row? Team seeks record win in Washington

ACES GAME DAY

■ Who: Aces at Washington Mystics

■ When: Noon Saturday

■ Where: CareFirst Arena, Washington, D.C.

■ TV: KMCC-34

■ Radio: KKGK (1340 AM, 98.9 FM)

■ About the Aces (23-14): The Aces will begin a three-game road trip against the Mystics.

The team is riding a nine-game winning streak, matching the franchise’s longest since its move to Las Vegas in 2017. The Aces have climbed to third in the WNBA standings during their run with seven games remaining in the regular season.

Their most recent victory, an 86-61 triumph over the Phoenix Mercury at Michelob Ultra Arena on Thursday, featured a balanced effort, with five players scoring in double figures. Reigning MVP A’ja Wilson had 19 points and 13 rebounds for her 18th double-double of the season, while guard Dana Evans added 17 points off the bench.

Wilson leads the Aces in points (22.8), rebounds (10.1), steals (1.6) and blocks (2.2) per game. Guard Jackie Young is the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging 16.6 points per game.

The Aces are 11-1 since moving guard Jewell Loyd to the bench following a loss to the Minnesota Lynx on July 25. Loyd has shined as a reserve, while forward Kierstan Bell has been solid after moving to the starting lineup.

The Aces are also getting a huge boost from point guard Chelsea Gray, who leads the team with 5.1 assists per game. Gray has two turnovers or fewer in seven of her last nine games, and has at least one steal in seven straight appearances.

■ About the Mystics (16-20): Washington has caused issues for the Aces this year, as the Mystics hold a 2-1 edge in the regular-season series.

Washington has been in a rut lately, however. The Mystics traded their leading scorer, guard Brittney Sykes, to the Seattle Storm on Aug. 5. The team has also lost seven of its last 10 games to fall out of the playoff picture.

Washington, with Sykes gone, is being led by two rookies. Guard Sonia Citron, the No. 3 overall pick in April’s draft, has led the team in scoring the last 11 games. Citron has also made a 3-pointer in her last 11 appearances, tied with Loyd for the longest active streak in the WNBA.

Forward Kiki Iriafen, selected one pick after Citron, has 13 double-doubles this season and leads the Mystics in rebounds per game with 8.6.

Citron and Iriafen are averaging 15.3 and 12.8 points per game, respectively. Forward Shakira Austin leads Washington in steals (1.3) and blocks (1.0) per game.

Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.