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		<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com</link>
		<description>RUWT? News for Washington Mystics vs. Atlanta Dream 7/3/2009</description>
		<language>en-us</language>
		<copyright>Copyright 2006-2007 areyouwatchingthis.com</copyright>
		<lastBuildDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:28:43 GMT</lastBuildDate>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:28:43 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Holdsclaw, Lyttle lead Atlanta past Mystics]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[ATLANTA(AP) -- Chamique Holdsclaw knows the condition of her right
knee could make or break the Atlanta Dream's season.

Eleven games into her WNBA comeback, however, Holdsclaw likes
the team's chances.

"I'm an important player for this team," she said. "I'm not
always able to fully practice because of my injuries, but I feel
good and I'm happy for my team. One thing about us win or lose,
we stick together."

Holdsclaw scored 18 points, and Sancho Lyttle added 16, helping
Atlanta snap a two-game losing streak with a 72-65 victory over
the Washington Mystics on Friday night.

Alana Beard had 16 points for Washington, which has dropped
three of four and missed its first nine 3-point attempts before
Matee Ajavon hit two straight in the final 2 minutes. The
Mystics began the game with the WNBA's third-best percentage
beyond the arc at 39.4.

Holdsclaw, a former No. 1 overall draft pick for Washington in
1999, is slowly coming back to the form that made her one of the
league's elite players and a gold medalist on the U.S. Olympic
team the following year. Chronic knee tendinitis, however,
affected her last two WNBA seasons with Los Angeles (2006-07),
when she started just five of 30 games.

She still has problems with her right knee, which required
arthroscopic surgery after a stint in Poland.

"I'm coming off the surgery, and my knee is still not 100
percent when I step out on the court," Holdsclaw said. "I have
to do what I can."

Washington coach Julie Plank, upset with her players' defensive
performance, held her team in the locker room longer than
expected after the game.

"When you are down, you have to be more aggressive defensively,"
Plank said. "We forced turnovers, got some stops, got out in
transition and started taking it to the basket (after trailing
by 17 points). We have a team that wants to keep fighting and
has a lot of pride."

A sprained left ankle has sidelined Washington's Marissa
Coleman, who still leads the rookie class with a 12.7 scoring
average, for the last eight games.

The Dream, who had lost four of five, forced Washington into 28
turnovers, a season high for the Mystics that resulted in 23
points. After winning just four games as an expansion team last
year, Atlanta improved to 5-6 this season.

"We're searching for an identity that we want to be known for,"
Holdsclaw said. "The thing that we can control is we can fight
against the other team and fight for each other. We won our
first game (in the opener) with our new identity, and we just
have to keep it going."

Beard's runner at 1:54 of the third quarter cut the lead to
four, but the Dream went on a 14-1 run that ended when Michelle
Snow's 10-footer made it 64-47 with 5:49 remaining.

Atlanta's Angel McCoughtry, who ranked fourth among rookies with
a 9.4 average as the No. 1 overall pick, finished with 14 points
in a reserve role.

"I think what's happening with Angel is she needs more minutes,"
Dream coach Marynell Meadors said. "The longer she plays, the
better she gets. She has such great potential that she's going
to be a great player in this league and a great player for us."

Lindsey Harding finished with 11 points for the Mystics. Crystal
Langhorne added 10.

Holdsclaw, who added eight assists, had a steal and a fast-break
layup to give the Dream a nine-point lead with 7:10 left in the
third period. She added a 16-footer a minute later to make it
46-37.

The Mystics fell to 3-1 this season when outrebounding
opponents. They had 40 boards, led by Chasity Melvin's nine.
Atlanta finished with 29 rebounds.

Beard, who was 7 for 16 from the field, had three assists and
six turnovers.

Earlier Friday, the Dream revamped their backcourt, signing
Ivory Latta and waiving Nikki Teasley. Latta started 31 of 34
games for Atlanta last year, averaging 11.4 points, 3.6 assists
and 1.2 turnovers.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[wnba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/wnba/news/105377-Holdsclaw-Lyttle-lead-Atlanta-past-Mystics</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/wnba/news/105377-Holdsclaw-Lyttle-lead-Atlanta-past-Mystics</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:16:35 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Mystics-Dream Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA
STATS Senior Writer

Washington (5-3) at Atlanta (4-6), 7:30 p.m. EDT

Alana Beard got plenty of space to drive to her right in her
last contest, resulting in a game-winning shot for the
Washington Mystics. The Atlanta Dream, meanwhile, seem to be
giving their opponents plenty of room all over the floor.

The Mystics, with a chance to win consecutive games for the
first time since opening the season with three straight
victories, look to take advantage of a struggling Dream defense
Friday night in Atlanta.

Washington (5-3) avoided a three-game skid Tuesday night with an
84-82 win at San Antonio. Beard provided the heroics, hitting a
16-footer with 1.9 seconds left.

"Everybody in this league knows I want to go left, so they gave
me all of my right and I took what they gave me," said Beard,
averaging a team-high 19.3 points and 3.1 steals.

Beard has averaged 23.5 points as the Mystics have split two
games this season with the Dream (4-6), who are allowing 83.8
points per game. Atlanta has lost four of its last five,
surrendering an average of 90.2 points during that span.

The Dream have the WNBA's worst perimeter defense, allowing
opponents to shoot 42.4 percent from 3-point range. That doesn't
bode well against a Washington club that makes 39.4 percent of
its attempts from beyond the arc.

The Mystics also got their inside game on track versus the
Silver Stars, outrebounding them 32-24. Washington got a
particularly strong effort from forward Crystal Langhorne, who
had 13 points and five rebounds off the bench.

"Our game plan was to establish post presence," Beard said. "We
have had a hard time with that earlier in the season. ...
Crystal Langhorne is probably our most consistent player."

Langhorne tops the Mystics with 8.0 rebounds per game, including
a WNBA-leading 3.5 on the offensive glass. She's also one of
four players averaging double digits in scoring for Washington,
posting 12.0 points per game.

Langhorne will likely be matched up at times with former Mystic
and fellow Queens, N.Y. native Chamique Holdsclaw, who is
averaging a team-high 14.6 points in her first season with the
Dream.

Holdsclaw had 14 points against Minnesota on Tuesday night, but
Atlanta lost 91-85 to remain one victory shy of eclipsing last
season's total.

The Dream again struggled to fight through screens, allowing
Lynx shooters to get open from long range. Minnesota made 50
percent (13 for 26) of its 3-point attempts.

Atlanta was able to stay in the game with another strong
offensive performance. The Dream are averaging 81.9 points while
shooting 46.4 percent on the season.

Iziane Castro Marques had a career-high 31 points versus the
Lynx. She's averaging 11.6, but was held scoreless in Atlanta's
77-71 loss at Washington on June 7.

The Dream avenged that loss June 19, beating the Mystics 93-81
at home. All five Atlanta starters scored in double figures,
with Sancho Lyttle posting 20 points and 13 rebounds.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[wnba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/wnba/news/105128-Mystics-Dream-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/wnba/news/105128-Mystics-Dream-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:31:29 GMT</pubDate>
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