Chicago's struggles continue, despite Angel Reese having a good game

Chicago - The Chicago Sky nearly pulled off a second-half comeback on Tuesday afternoon but ultimately fell short in an 81-79 loss to the Washington Mystics. The matchup, between the two teams were filled with grit, fouls, and fiery emotions.

Washington controlled the pace early, outscoring Chicago throughout the first half and entering the break with a 40-35 lead. But the Sky responded in the second half, clawing their way back behind standout performances from Angel Reese and Elizabeth Williams. With under a minute to play, the game was tied at 77.

After missing two free throws, Washington center Shakira Austin secured her own rebound and scored in the paint to give the Mystics a 79-77 lead. Reese answered by sinking two free throws to tie it up once more. But Austin returned to the line moments later, hitting the game-winning shots.

Reese finished with another dominant double-double, scoring 22 points and 15 rebounds — extending her streak of 15+ rebound games to six. However, her frustration boiled over during a loose ball scramble, where she slammed a clipboard on the sideline after no foul was called.

Williams added 20 points but fouled out late, leaving a void in the paint that Washington exploited, outscoring Chicago 46-30 down low. The Sky’s bench struggled, contributing just 11 points compared to the Mystics’ 22.

“We have an opportunity, 24 hours to play this game again,” Reese said postgame. “It sucks right now… we can be sorry and sad for ourselves for a second, but we have to get back up tomorrow and play again in front of our home crowd.” The Sky return home to face the Dallas Wings on Wednesday, a must-win as they fight to stay in the playoff conversation.