Brittney Sykes scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while Kiki Iriafen contributed 16 points to lead the Washington Mystics to a victory over the short-handed Indiana Fever with a score of 83-77 at CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore. This win marked a significant milestone for Sykes, who displayed a stellar performance throughout the game.

Reigning Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark did not play for Indiana due to a strained left quad.

She was injured while playing during the Fever’s loss to the Liberty on Saturday.

This game also marked a significant moment for Clark, who missed a regular-season game for the first time in her career. She had participated in all 40 games and two playoff matches last season, as well as the first four games of this season. The absence of Clark posed a new challenge for the Mystics, but the team managed to secure a win despite her missing presence on the court.

With just over a minute remaining in the fourth quarter, Sykes showcased her defensive prowess by blocking a layup attempt by Kelsey Mitchell. Additionally, she maintained her composure in the pressure-filled final moments of the game, sinking 3 out of 4 free throws to ensure Washington stayed ahead with a comfortable lead.

Shakira Austin scored all 13 of her points in the first half to help the Mystics take a 44-40 lead at the break.

Sonia Citron also finished with 13 points for Washington (3-3), which snapped a three-game losing streak.

The Mystics will next host the Liberty on Friday.

DeWanna Bonner scored 21 points, including a long 3-pointer just before the final buzzer, to lead the 2-3 Fever, who will next host the Sun on Friday.

Bonner became the first player in WNBA history to reach 7,500 points, 3,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists.

Mitchell added 14 points, Natasha Howard scored 11 and Aliyah Boston had 10 for Indiana.

Sydney Colson started in place of Clark and scored four points in 31 minutes.