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Mystics-Sun Preview

Aug 7, 2010 - 5:05 PM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Washington (16-11) at Connecticut (13-14), 5:00 p.m. EDT

The race for first place in the Eastern Conference looks like it will go down to the wire, with the top four teams separated by one game.

Trying to stay in the thick of that race and with a chance to essentially end Connecticut's postseason chances, the visiting Washington Mystics open a home-and-home series with the Sun on Sunday.

Washington (16-11) and New York are tied for the East's final playoff spot, one game behind conference leaders Indiana and Atlanta. The Mystics had a chance to move atop the East on Friday but lost 85-77 to the Liberty, ending a three-game winning streak.

Monique Currie scored 23 points and Matee Ajavon added 20 for Washington, which allowed more than 80 points for the first time in five games.

"I was not pleased with our defense. ... We let them shoot too high a percentage and we gave up too many 3s," Mystics coach Julie Plank said.

The Sun (13-14) are still in the postseason mix, trailing Washington and New York by three games, but need to start making up ground quickly with seven games remaining. Sweeping the Mystics, who also have seven games left, would certainly help their cause, but getting swept would put them in a deep hole.

Connecticut has shown few signs of being able to make a late charge, dropping a season-worst four in a row and going 1-6 since July 20.

Defense has been the biggest problem for the Sun, who are allowing an average of 89.8 points during their skid.

They had a chance to end the slide Thursday, leading Seattle 79-74 with 3 1/2 minutes to go, but failed to execute down the stretch in an 83-82 defeat. Renee Montgomery put Connecticut ahead 82-81 with a free throw with 1:05 to go, but then fouled Tanisha Wright, who hit both of her free throws.

It was the second straight game Montgomery committed an ill-advised foul that cost her team in the final minute.

"(It was) bad poise - a shot clock violation, we go to sleep on a 3 by Sue Bird, we get beat to a loose ball and had a ridiculous foul," coach Mike Thibault said. "And now, it puts us under .500, and we got a lot of ground to make up."

Montgomery finished with 22 points, while Tina Charles led Connecticut with 23 points and seven rebounds.

Charles, averaging 15.6 points and 11.9 rebounds, is one double-double shy of breaking the rookie record of 17 held by Candace Parker (2008) and Yolanda Griffith (1999).

Charles, the No. 1 overall pick this year, has averaged 11.5 points and 8.5 boards in two games against the Mystics. The teams haven't met since May, with each winning at home.

Connecticut and Washington conclude the home-and-home set Tuesday night.