Elena Delle Donne scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to help the Washington Mystics hand the Connecticut Sun one of the worst defeats in WNBA history with a 102-59 rout on Saturday.
The game was a matchup of the top two teams in the league and Washington (9-3) quickly turned it into a rout for its fifth straight win.
The Mystics had lost their two previous matchups with the Sun this season, but shot 53% from the field with 13 3-pointers and made all 21 of their free throws. Connecticut (9-4), which had its worst offensive and defensive games of the season, has now lost three straight.
Delle Donne scored four quick points to start a 9-0 for a double-figure lead midway through the first quarter. It was 29-15 after one quarter and 56-30 at the half as the Mystics, easily topped their league-leading average of 85.5 points a game and established a new season-low on defense.
Ariel Atkins added 15 points for Washington and Tianna Hawkins was one of three reserves in double figures with 12, her fifth-straight double-figure game off the bench.
Jonquel Jones was the only Sun in double figures with 15.
Arena Football League: The Baltimore Brigade (6-4) defeated the Columbus Destroyers (1-9) Friday night at Royal Farms Arena, 50-12.
This win is Baltimore’s largest margin of victory in franchise history. Baltimore’s defensive pressure caused the Destroyers to commit four interceptions.
The Brigade’s defensive unit also collected four sacks and three fumbles. Their efforts kept Columbus scoreless after the second quarter, allowing Baltimore to score 36 unanswered points.
The Brigade, returning to Baltimore after four consecutive road games, improved to 4-1 at home with the win.
Defensive back Josh Victorian, named the Most Valuable Player of the Game, tallied three solo tackles, two interceptions, one of which resulted in a touchdown, and three pass breakups.
Defensive back Joe Powell led the team with seven tackles (six solo), one interception, one forced fumble, two pass breakups, and one kickoff return touchdown. Powell was named Defensive Player of the Game for his performance.
Baltimore wide receiver Joe Hills was named Offensive Player of the Game and caught five receptions for 62 yards and two touchdowns.
The Brigade enter their bye week before facing off with the Valor on July 13 at 7 p.m. at Royal Farms Arena for their last home game of the regular season.
Gymnastics: Hills Gymnastics’ Kayla DiCello (Boyds) won the vault gold medal at the International Gymnastics Federation’s inaugural Junior World Championships for men’s and women’s gymnastics. Individual event finals conclude Sunday at the Audi Arena in Gyor, Hungary.
NHL: The Washington Capitals signed center Mike Sgarbossa to a two-year, two-way contract, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced. The contract will carry an average annual value of $700,000 and $407,500 in the AHL.
Sgarbossa, 26, led the Hershey Bears with 65 points (30 goals, 35 assists), which tied for ninth in the AHL and set personal AHL career highs in goals, assists and points.
— From Sun staff and news services
