Washington beats Sacramento in WNBA exhibition in Tampa

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
In print: Tuesday, May 6, 2008

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TAMPA — A month after the Women's Final Four and the WNBA draft, local women's basketball fans got one more treat Monday night as the WNBA's Washington Mystics opened their preseason with a 90-82 victory against the Sacramento Monarchs at Bob Martinez Sports Center.

The crowd of 711 got a little extra as Washington, down four with a minute to play, got a steal and 3-pointer from guard Nikki Blue then a tying basket from Taj McWilliams-Franklin with four seconds left. Blue went 6-for-6 on free throws in overtime.

"It's always good in preseason to get out and go somewhere neutral, to get fans who don't probably get a chance to see women's basketball live," said Blue, a third-year pro who averaged 3.0 points last season and scored 15 on Monday.

The attendance was less than a tenth of what each team averaged for home games last season but wasn't far from the 1,109 neutral-site fans who saw Chicago and Indiana play in Milwaukee on Saturday.

"It was a very enthusiastic crowd," Monarchs coach Jenny Boucek said. "We're proud of the WNBA and the quality of basketball these ladies play, so we love to spread it around and expose it to other people."

Washington, down 11 with seven minutes to play, got within one on Blue's 3-pointer with 23 seconds left and nearly won in regulation. McWilliams-Franklin, who began her WNBA career with the Orlando Miracle, was fouled as she hit a tying basket with 3.7 seconds left, but she missed the free throw.

Sacramento, which had four players out with injuries and two still playing overseas, struggled in overtime, with two turnovers and a charge on the first four possessions. The Mystics sealed it at the line, going 10-for-10 in overtime. Guard Kara Lawson, who moonlights as an ESPN analyst, led the Monarchs with 21 points.

Monday's win finished a spring training of sorts for the Mystics, whose owner, Sheila Johnson, bought the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club last summer. The team has trained in Palm Harbor since Wednesday, staying at the resort.

"When I played with the Hawks (1977-88), back in those days, you had to go play in a non-NBA city," Mystics coach Tree Rollins said. "I remember when we did that, it really bonded our team. Guys got to be around each other, away from (the media) and away from family. It's a bond that will go a long way for us."