Latest news with #KikiIriafen
Indianapolis Star
a day ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Will Caitlin Clark play for Indiana Fever against Washington Mystics on 6/3/25? Prediction, TV, injuries
The Indiana Fever are mighty thin as they host the Washington Mystics on Tuesday, June 2. Indiana (2-4) is missing three guards, including star Caitlin Clark, and has just eight players available. The Fever used a hardship exception to add four-year veteran guard Aari McDonald. The Fever have lost three straight games, one of those to the Mystics (3-4) in Washington. The Mystics' only recent win is last week's 83-77 victory over the Fever. Brittney Sykes had 21 points and 9 rebounds, while rookies Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron combined for 29 points and 15 rebounds. Chloe Peterson is your best Fever follow, and sign up for our Caitlin Clark Fever newsletter. 7 p.m. ET Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis Chloe Peterson, IndyStar: Mystics 78-70 "The Fever have lost three straight games (including one to the Mystics and another to the then-winless Sun), and it won't get easier anytime soon. "Indiana is 0-2 with Caitlin Clark, the heartbeat of its offense, on the sideline with a quad strain. Two backup ball-handlers, Sydney Colson and Sophie Cunningham, are likely out after suffering injuries against Connecticut. "Washington, on the other hand, seems to be on a roll. Its 2025 rookies, Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron, are each compiling early Rookie of the Year campaigns, and the Mystics have been a surprise. "Washington already beat Indiana, 83-77, a week ago, and that was with Cunningham and Colson playing. Washington is physical, fast, and healthy, and the Fever are at an early low point in the season." Fever: Caitlin Clark (quad) is out. Sophie Cunningham (knee) and Sydney Colson (leg) are doubtful. Mystics: Georgia Amoore (ACL) is out. Fever second-year guard Caitlin Clark is out with a left quadriceps injury. She dealt with a similar injury during preseason, but team officials say this one is different. Fever coach Steph White added that she does not know the specific strain of Clark's injury. Based on her reevaluation timeline of two weeks, however, it is likely a Grade I or II strain. A Grade I strain is mild and only involves a small number of muscle fibers, according to the Physiotherapy and Sports Injuries Centre, and there is usually pain and tightness but no loss of function. It usually takes two weeks to recover from a Grade I strain. A Grade II strain is slightly more serious, where there would be some loss of function, and that typically takes 4-6 weeks for a full recovery. In four games this season, Caitlin Clark averaged 19.0 points, 9.3 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals, making 31.4% of her 3-pointers. TV: MeTV, NBA TV, with Pat Boylan (play-by-play), Debbie Antonelli (analyst) and Kelsie Kasper (sideline reporting) Watch Fever games with a free Fubo trial Radio: 93.5 and 107.5 FM in Indianapolis, with John Nolan (play-by-play) and Bria Goss (analysis). via BetMGM Favorite: Fever by 3.5 points Over/under: 161.5 total points Moneyline: Fever -165, Mystics +140 ESPN's matchup predictor gives the Fever a 74.2% chance of winning. Fever-Mystics tickets start at $12 on StubHub (Season averages)
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Recap: Mystics implode late in loss to Aces
The Washington Mystics lost to the Las Vegas Aces 75–72 at Michelob ULTRA Arena on Friday, May 23, 2025, to fall to 2-2 on the season. A balanced scoring effort propelled Washington to an early 18-16 lead after the opening frame. That advantage continued as the Mystics grew a 10-point lead behind seven points and six rebounds from rookie forward Kiki Iriafen and a pair of triple from rookie guard Sonia Citron. Advertisement That lead was short-lived, as Las Vegas stormed back with a 13-5 run to trim their deficit to two points entering the final minutes of the first half. The Mystics responded with a 9-2 run of their own to enter the break ahead, 42-33. Iriafen led all scorers with 11 points and seven rebounds. Citron and Jade Melbourne each drilled for a pair of buckets midway through the third to keep Washington ahead by double-digits. The Mystics maintained a 59-50 lead entering the final quarter as they looked to knock off the Aces. Defense dominated the opening minutes of the fourth, as Washington led 63-55 with 5:54 remaining in regulation. With Las Vegas hanging around, the Mystics' rookies stepped up down the stretch. Iriafen grabbed an offensive rebound en route to a put-back layup before Citron sank a clutch and-1 layup to grow Washington's lead to nine with 3:49 remaining. The Aces didn't go down easily. Jackie Young and Dana Evans embarked on a 7-0 run to make it a 68-66 Mystics lead with two minutes to play as Michelob ULTRA Arena came alive. Citron, like she'd done all night, silenced the crowd once more with a clutch 3-pointer to give Washington some breathing room before Melbourne sank 1-of-2 free throws for a 72-66 advantage. Advertisement Young drilled a pair of free throws before grabbing a steal and drilling a layup to trim the deficit to just two. An ensuing Mystics shot-clock violation gave Las Vegas a chance to tie or take the lead with 15.2 seconds remaining. With the game on the line, Young delivered to knot the game at 72. With 7.2 seconds remaining, Las Vegas' Kiah Stokes was called for a shooting foul, which coach Becky Hammon swiftly challenged. The call was overturned to a clean block and Las Vegas gained possession with a chance to win the game. Jewell Lloyd drilled a game-winning 3-pointer with 2.3 seconds left as Las Vegas stole one at home and handed Washington its second-consecutive loss.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Top Mystics vs. Liberty players to watch - 5/30/2025
Top Mystics vs. Liberty players to watch - 5/30/2025 Breanna Stewart's New York Liberty (5-0) take to the road to meet the Washington Mystics (3-3) at CareFirst Arena on Friday, May 30. Game time is 7:30 p.m. ET. The Mystics score 79.2 points per game (ninth in the WNBA) and allow 78.5 (fifth in the league) for a +4 scoring differential overall. The Liberty's +74 scoring differential (outscoring opponents by 14.8 points per game) is a result of putting up 91.6 points per game (first in WNBA) while allowing 76.8 per contest (second in league). Watch this game on Fubo! (regional restrictions may apply) How to watch Mystics vs. Liberty Date: Friday, May 30, 2025 Friday, May 30, 2025 Time: 7:30 p.m. ET 7:30 p.m. ET How to watch on TV: ION ION Live stream: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply) Fubo Location: Washington D.C. Washington D.C. Venue: CareFirst Arena Mystics' last game Washington earned an 83-77 victory against Indiana last time out. The squad was led by Brittney Sykes' 21 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks and Kiki Iriafen's 16 points and eight rebounds. Brittney Sykes: 21 PTS | 9 REB |4 AST | 0 STL | 2 BLK | 1 3PM Kiki Iriafen: 16 PTS | 8 REB |1 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 3PM Shakira Austin: 13 PTS | 3 REB |0 AST | 2 STL | 1 BLK | 0 3PM Liberty's last game With Stewart leading the team with 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks, New York ended up winning against Golden State 82-77 in its last game. Breanna Stewart: 27 PTS | 7 REB |4 AST | 2 STL | 3 BLK | 0 3PM Sabrina Ionescu: 24 PTS | 6 REB |4 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 6 3PM Kennedy Burke: 11 PTS | 7 REB |2 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 3 3PM Mystics players to watch Sykes leads her team in both points (22.0) and assists (4.8) per game, and also posts 4.8 rebounds. Defensively, she delivers 1.0 steal and 0.8 blocked shots. Iriafen puts up a team-leading 10.7 rebounds per game. They is also posting 14.2 points and 0.8 assists, shooting 51.6% from the field (10th in WNBA). Sonia Citron is averaging 15.0 points, 2.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds per contest. Jade Melbourne puts up 9.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game, shooting 46.3% from the floor and 45.0% from beyond the arc (10th in WNBA) with 1.5 made 3-pointers per contest. Stefanie Dolson puts up 4.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. At the other end, she posts 0.7 steals and 0.7 blocked shots. Liberty players to watch Stewart is the Liberty's top scorer (20.8 points per game), and she delivers 3.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds. Her scoring average ranks her fourth in the WNBA. Natasha Cloud is the Liberty's top assist person (7.6 per game), and she produces 13.6 points and 5.0 rebounds. Her assist average ranks her third in the WNBA. Jonquel Jones is the Liberty's top rebounder (9.8 per game), and she averages 16.8 points and 3.8 assists. Her rebounding average ranks her sixth in the league. Sabrina Ionescu is posting 15.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists per contest, making 37.1% of her shots from the field and 30.8% from 3-point range, with 2.4 treys per game (eighth in league). The Liberty receive 10.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game from Kennedy Burke. Watch this game on Fubo! (regional restrictions may apply)
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
How to watch Mystics vs. Liberty on TV or live stream - 5/30/2025
How to watch Mystics vs. Liberty on TV or live stream - 5/30/2025 The New York Liberty (5-0) hope to continue a five-game winning streak when they visit the Washington Mystics (3-3) at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, May 30, 2025 at CareFirst Arena. The contest airs on ION. We dig deep into all of the info you need before this contest starts below, including how to watch on ION. Watch this game on Fubo! (regional restrictions may apply) How to watch Mystics vs. Liberty Date: Friday, May 30, 2025 Friday, May 30, 2025 Time: 7:30 p.m. ET 7:30 p.m. ET Location: Washington D.C. Washington D.C. Venue: CareFirst Arena CareFirst Arena TV channel: ION ION Live stream: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply) Mystics players to watch Brittney Sykes is tops on her squad in both points (22.0) and assists (4.8) per game, and also posts 4.8 rebounds. Defensively, she averages 1.0 steal and 0.8 blocked shots. Kiki Iriafen is tops on the Mystics at 10.7 rebounds per game, while also averaging 0.8 assists and 14.2 points. They is third in the league in rebounding. Sonia Citron is putting up 15.0 points, 2.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game. Jade Melbourne averages 9.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per contest. At the other end, she averages 0.8 steals and 0.2 blocked shots. Stefanie Dolson is posting 4.2 points, 2.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game. Liberty players to watch Breanna Stewart is the Liberty's top scorer (20.8 points per game), and she puts up 3.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds. Her scoring average ranks her fourth in the league. Natasha Cloud is the Liberty's top assist person (7.6 per game), and she delivers 13.6 points and 5.0 rebounds. Her assist average ranks her third in the WNBA. Jonquel Jones paces the Liberty in rebounding (9.8 per game), and puts up 16.8 points and 3.8 assists. She also posts 0.5 steals and 1.8 blocked shots (third in the WNBA). Sabrina Ionescu is putting up 15.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, making 37.1% of her shots from the field and 30.8% from 3-point range, with 2.4 triples per contest (eighth in league). Kennedy Burke gets the Liberty 10.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per contest. She also posts 1.0 steal and 0.8 blocked shots. Mystics vs. Liberty stat comparison The Mystics score 79.2 points per game, just 2.4 more points than the 76.8 the Liberty allow. The Liberty score 13.1 more points per game (91.6) than the Mystics allow (78.5). The Mystics and Liberty rebound at nearly the same rate, with the Mystics averaging 0.9 more rebounds per game. The Mystics make 43.3% of their shots from the field this season, which is 5.3 percentage points higher than the Liberty have allowed to their opponents (38.0%). The Liberty's 47.6% shooting percentage from the field this season is 10.3 percentage points higher than the Mystics have given up to their opponents (37.3%). Watch this game on Fubo! (regional restrictions may apply)
New York Post
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
The biggest surprises from the start of the WNBA season
We've got you covered on the Liberty beat Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA. tRY IT NOW Two weeks into the WNBA season, and there's some teams playing the way that was expected. It's no surprise the Liberty and Lynx — the only two undefeated teams entering Thursday night — are the league's top teams. After meeting in the WNBA Finals last season, the Lynx got a more-motivated-than-ever Napheesa Collier, who's been dominant to start this season. The Liberty got better, too, with the addition of Natasha Cloud and an improved bench. But while the Lynx and Liberty are playing as well as expected, there's been some surprises of note. Here are some good and bad revelations from the first two weeks of action: Overachievers Phoenix Mercury 4 Satou Sabally celebrates after making a 3-pointer during the Phoenix Mercury's win over Chicago Sky on May 27, 2025. Getty Images When news broke that Kahleah Copper would be sidelined for a minimum of a month due to a knee injury, it was fair to question how good the Mercury might be. There were already questions regarding the team's depth. The Mercury went all-in on bolstering their starting lineup by adding star forwards Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally in the offseason. The Mercury trusted their international scouting, adding guard Monique Akoa-Makani (Cameroon), forward Kitija Laksa (Latvia) and guard Sevgi Uzun (Turkey). It's paid off so far. The Mercury are 4-1 and have been the second-best defense in the league (behind the Liberty). Their starters have posted the league's third-best net rating (8.7), sitting behind only the Liberty and Lynx, and Phoenix's reserves have provided key minutes. Mystics rookies 4 Washington Mystics rookie Kiki Iriafen takes the ball to the basket during a game against the Indiana Fever in Baltimore on May 28, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images Some thought the Rookie of the Year race would be equivalent of Usain Bolt running 100 meters with Dallas' Paige Bueckers being the obvious front-runner. But a pair of Mystics rookies, Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen, have been impressive, which has added some intrigue to the way-too-early Rookie of the Year conversation. Citron leads first-year players with 15 points per game while positing an elite shooting split of 50.8/40/90.9 through six games. Iriafen is averaging 14.2 points and 10.7 rebounds per game (third in the WNBA). Together, they helped the Mystics to a 3-3 start that includes wins against the Dream and Caitlin Clark-less Fever. They also managed to hang around against the Aces and Mercury, losing both of those games by single digits. Underachievers Chicago Sky 4 Angel Reese and Courtney Vandersloot high-five during the Chicago Sky's game against the Los Angeles Sparks on May 25, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images The Sky made history for all the wrong reasons to start this season. They lost their first two games with a point differential of minus-60, a record for a team's opening two games. They've been outscored by 78 points through an 0-4 start. The Sky tried fast-tracking their rebuild by trading this year's No. 3 pick to the Mystics for Ariel Atkins, and they signed veteran point guard Courtney Vandersloot as a free agent. Getting back to the playoffs is the goal. But the Sky are winless and identity-less after four games. Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso continue to struggle balancing their roles in the post, and the floor spacers the Sky added in free agency haven't helped the case. Valkyries shooters The expansion Valkyries' defense has been solid. They're good at forcing live ball turnovers, and before getting blown out by the Liberty on Tuesday, actually led the league in defensive rating. 4 Kayla Thornton dribbles upcourt during the Golden State Valkyries' loss to the New York Liberty at Barclays Center on May 27, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images Offensively, though, Golden State is reeling. No team has taken more 3-pointers this season than the Valkyries. And no team has missed more shots from deep than the league's newest team. The Valkyries are shooting a league-low 27.3% from behind the arc through four games. Former Liberty reserve Kayla Thornton is averaging a team-high seven 3-point attempts per game while converting at a lousy 17.9% rate from downtown. The Valkyries are also averaging a league-low 24 paint points per game.
