The Phoenix Mercury fell to the Washington Mystics 94-84 on Tuesday night, but the bigger story came early when Kahleah Copper picked up a technical foul that puts her on the brink of a suspension.
Copper, the team’s leading scorer, finished with 19 points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal. Midway through the first quarter, she was seen arguing with a referee while heading to the bench. The official handed her a technical, and Mystics guard Sonia Citron sank the ensuing free throw.
That technical was Copper’s seventh of the season. Under WNBA rules, one more means an automatic one-game suspension. She is now tied with Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese for the most technicals in the league this campaign.
There’s a financial sting too. Her seventh tech triggers a $1,000 fine. The league’s sliding scale starts at $500 for each of the first three, then jumps to $1,000 for the fourth through seventh. If Copper hits eight, she’ll owe $1,500 on top of the suspension.
The Mercury have just six games left in the regular season. Copper will need to keep her cool to avoid missing crucial minutes as Phoenix fights for playoff positioning in a crowded field.
Tuesday’s game itself featured several standout performances. Washington’s Sonia Citron led the Mystics with 19 points and nine assists, while Kiki Iriafen added 18 points and 10 rebounds for her 17th double-double of the season. Shakira Austin chipped in 16 points, and both Michaela Onyenwere and Lauren Betts scored 10.
Phoenix got 19 points from Natasha Mack to match Copper’s output. Alyssa Thomas recorded 16 points and 10 assists, while Kelsey Plum made her return from a layoff since Aug. 9, contributing 10 points in 17 minutes.
The Mystics shot 59% from the field in the first half, building a 51-33 lead. Washington never trailed by less than double digits after the break, with their largest cushion reaching 64-44. Phoenix struggled from deep, hitting just 3 of 17 three-point attempts. A bench player for the Mercury didn’t make a field goal until Plum’s basket with 4:42 left in the third quarter.
Washington improved to 23-15, giving the franchise its second-most regular-season wins, trailing only the 2019 championship team’s 26. Phoenix fell to 13-25.
The two teams meet again Thursday in Phoenix, where Copper must walk a careful line between playing aggressively and staying out of the referee’s book.
