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Silver Stars-Mystics Preview

Jul 15, 2009 - 2:29 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

San Antonio (5-6) at Washington (6-5), 11:30 a.m. EDT

Alana Beard's late heroics helped the Washington Mystics pull out a road win over the San Antonio Silver Stars last month.

Coming off another big offensive effort, Beard looks to help the Mystics win consecutive games for the first time in more than a month when they face the visiting Silver Stars for the second time in two weeks Wednesday.

Beard scored 19 points and hit a 16-footer with 1.9 seconds left to help Washington win 84-82 at San Antonio on June 30. The Mystics (6-5) lost their next two contests at Atlanta and Minnesota to conclude a 1-3 road trip.

On Saturday, however, Washington returned home and Beard scored 26 points on 11 of 24 shooting while adding four steals to help the Mystics end their brief skid with a 75-63 win over Los Angeles.

"The majority of the games that were really close, we have not come out on top," said Washington guard Lindsey Harding, who had 19 points at San Antonio last month. "To be able to win a close game (against Los Angeles) like that is really good."

Beard, who will make her fourth All-Star appearance and start for the Eastern Conference in the July 25 league showcase, is among the WNBA leaders with 19.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 2.1 assists per game.

"I think for the past few games, I started the game trying to get everyone involved, but I think the team feeds off me, offensively and defensively," Beard said. "It's up to me to set the tone."

The Mystics have not won consecutive contests since winning their first three games June 6-10, but that could change versus San Antonio (5-6), which is 1-4 on the road.

Though the defending Western Conference champion Silver Stars lost 83-76 at home to Minnesota on Sunday, they beat the Lynx 77-61 on Friday for their first road win of the season.

Becky Hammon, who'll start for the West in her fifth All-Star game this month, scored 26 points and Sophia Young added 18 on Sunday as San Antonio failed for the fourth time to get over the .500 mark.

Young had 21 points and Hammon 18 in the loss to Washington in a game the Silver Stars cut a 12-point deficit to one before losing.

"It's a shame because it shouldn't have come down to that," said Hammon, who's averaging 19 points, and scored 11 straight in the final three minutes against the Mystics. "But they played well. They came in and stole one from us."

Washington shot 51.7 percent from the field - including 7 for 14 from 3-point range - in the teams' last meeting that featured a combined 33 turnovers.