Nakia Sanford News

Nakia Sanford, left, and the Mystics hope this year's playoff berth against Tamika Catchings and Indiana leads to bigger and better things in 2010.

The New York Liberty closed a disappointing season with a feel-good win, their easiest of the year.

WASHINGTON While Congress continues to debate health care nearby on Capitol Hill, there was nothing debatable about the way the Washington Mystics took care of its own health issues Thursday night in enhancing their WNBA playoff hopes with a 78-67 win over the Seattle Storm at the Verizon Center.

It's a safe bet that without All-Star Alana Beard, the Washington Mystics would have struggled mightily against an elite Western Conference foe earlier this season.

August 31, 2009 - The 2009 WNBA season and the Pick One Challenge heads into September as we enter the final two weeks of the regular season.

In the strictest sense the Washington Mystics got exactly what they -- a team clinging to postseason hopes -- needed Sunday afternoon with a win over the Minnesota Lynx at Verizon Center to put themselves back in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. The lasting image of Washington's 81-75 victory won't be one of the final score though, but rather one of all-star guard Alana Beard being carried off the court with a sprained left ankle in the fourth quarter.

Beard had pulled up for a jump shot when she collided with Minnesota's Candice Wiggins, who was called for a foul on the play with 3 minutes 8 seconds remaining in regulation. As players regrouped, Beard remained on the floor clutching her left ankle, unable to stand.

Nicole Powell had 26 points and 11 rebounds to help the Sacramento Monarchs rout the Washington Mystics 82-60 on Saturday night.

Everything about the Washington Mystics' season has signified balance. They have had neither a winning streak greater than three games nor a losing streak longer than two.

Nakia Sanford is only partially joking when she says the reason she found a spot with the Washington Mystics in 2003 was because Vicky Bullett retired at the end of the previous season. Now that Bullett has returned to the Mystics as an assistant coach, however, Sanford is one of her key beneficiaries as a student.

By July 15 against San Antonio, it was clear to the Mystics' coaching staff that Sanford was struggling as a starting power forward. So they opted to swap out the 6-foot-4 natural center with forward Crystal Langhorne, who will likely start her 12th straight game for Washington (12-11) on Sunday against the New York Liberty (8-15) at 4 p.m. at Verizon Center.

Nakia Sanford froze for one moment in the final minute of the Washington Mystics' 70-66 victory over the Detroit Shock on Friday night at Verizon Center. With less than 12 seconds left in the game and the Mystics clinging to a four-point lead, Sanford was defending Kara Braxton on the block, when an inbounds pass sailed over her head, giving Braxton a clear path to the basket.

'As long as it wasn't a three, I was okay. But I was still like, 'Crap!' ' Sanford said after the game, as she signed autographs for a long line of fans. 'It was still scary.'

Nakia Sanford froze for one moment in the final minute of the Washington Mystics' 70-66 victory over the Detroit Shock on Friday night at Verizon Center. With less than 12 seconds left in the game and the Mystics clinging to a four-point lead, Sanford was defending Kara Braxton on the block, when an inbounds pass sailed over her head, giving Braxton a clear path to the basket.

'As long as it wasn't a three, I was okay. But I was still like, 'Crap!' ' Sanford said after the game, as she signed autographs for a long line of fans. 'It was still scary.'

Even after they announced her name and proclaimed Miss Pennsylvania as the new Miss Black USA, Shayna Rudd didn't realize that she had just won.

Mystics head coach Julie Plank has her team near the top of the Eastern Conference standings.

WASHINGTON - Alana Beard had 15 points and six assists to lead the Washington Mystics to a 70-66 victory over the Detroit Shock on Friday night.

Rookie receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey signed a five-year contract with the Oakland Raiders on Thursday that will guarantee him at least $23.5 million.

Alana Beard scored 28 points, Nakia Sanford had 16, and the Washington Mystics held on for a 78-75 victory over the New York Liberty on Thursday night.

Katie Douglas scored 11 of her 24 points in the fourth quarter to lead Indiana to an 87-79 victory over Washington on Sunday for the Fever's third victory in 12 days against the Mystics.

Angel McCoughtry scored 17 points and the Atlanta Dream dominated the Western-Conference leading Phoenix Mercury in a 106-76 win on Thursday night.

Alana Beard scored 28 points, Nakia Sanford had 16, and the Washington Mystics held on for a 78-75 victory over the New York Liberty on Thursday night.

The Washington Mystics have regularly referred to the first half of this season as a learning experience. As though they are students in a classroom trying to master new material. Little has come easy -- they've been in four games decided by two or fewer points, given up several double-digit leads and been taught a few lessons by older, wiser opponents.

But with each hiccup, and each victory that they eked out the hard way, the 2009 Mystics show they're taking their coursework in stride. Sunday against the league-worst Sacramento Monarchs at Verizon Center, Washington showed its developing savvy in an 87-73 win that gave the Mystics back-to-back victories for the first time since they opened the season on a 3-0 run.