Kiki Iriafen scored 25 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Shakira Austin added 17 points and 10 rebounds, and the Washington Mystics came back from an 11-point hole to defeat the Toronto Tempo 79-62 on Tuesday.

Washington outscored Toronto 53-30 in the second half after trailing for most of the first two quarters. An 11-3 run to open the third, capped by an Iriafen layup, gave the Mystics their first lead, 37-35, since the middle of the first quarter, and Washington never trailed again.

"This was a true team win, especially in that second quarter. We had different players and different lineups on the floor, and I was really happy with what Lucy, Lauren, Cass, and Cody gave us," Mystics coach Sydney Johnson said. "We have a team where we're pouring into everyone every day. When you do that consistently, you shouldn't be surprised when players are ready to perform."

Washington's fourth double-digit comeback win of the season, tied for second-most in the WNBA, and only the fifth time in franchise history the Mystics have won by at least 15 points after trailing by 10 or more, the first since 2022. Washington outscored Toronto 52-24 in the paint and won the rebounding battle 46-26, part of a 20-3 advantage in second-chance points.

Iriafen shot 9-of-14 from the field for her 10th double-double of the season, her 26th career, making her one of four WNBA players with at least 10 double-doubles this year, alongside Angel Reese, Jessica Shepard, and A'ja Wilson. It was her third career game with at least 25 points and 10 rebounds, all this season, and second-most in the league behind Wilson. Iriafen said the late-game focus stayed on defense no matter what the offense was doing.

"We kept emphasizing that we had to sit down and defend no matter what was happening offensively," Iriafen said. "Everybody knows Marina can get hot in the fourth quarter, so it takes another level of focus to keep them to one shot, get the stop, and push the ball the other way."

Austin added three blocks in her first career game with at least 15 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks. It was also the 10th time any player reached those thresholds in Mystics history and the first since Aaliyah Edwards in 2024. Additionally, Austin's first block pushed her past Alana Beard for seventh on the all-time list with 130. It was also her fourth straight game with at least 10 points and five rebounds.

Michaela Onyenwere, who chipped in 15 points for the Mystics, credited Washington's bench for being a driving force in the third-quarter takeover.

"We were down 30-19, and by the break it was only a six-point game. They really set the tone," Onyenwere said of the reserves. "For us, it's about everybody from top to bottom being ready. It doesn't matter whose night it is."

Sonia Citron scored only two points in 31 minutes, a career low, but Onyenwere said her defense on Marina Mabrey wasn't reflected in the box score.

"Sonia is someone we rely on to score, but everybody has off nights," Onyenwere said. "She was outstanding defensively against Marina. So much of their offense runs through her, and Sonia did so many other things to help us win."

Johnson emphasized that containing Mabrey, who scored eight after a recent hot streak, and slowing down Toronto's transition offense were points of emphasis.

"We knew how dangerous Toronto is with its three-point shooting, especially Marina, but we also had a great deal of respect for their pace and transition game," Johnson said. "I thought we were outstanding, particularly in transition and defending the three-point line."

Julie Allemand led Toronto (10-14) with 15 points, Nyara Sabally scored 13, and Isabelle Harrison added 8 in their lowest-scoring game of the season. The Tempo were without Brittney Sykes, Kiki Rice, and Temi Fagbenle. Washington's size proved to be a key factor.

"They're physical, they protect the rim, and they're really big. Their post players are massive, and they fight through screens on the perimeter extremely well," Tempo coach Sandy Brondello said. "We got away from moving the ball as quickly as we needed to, and we finished with zero transition points, which is one of our biggest strengths."

Allemand said the rebounding battle largely decided the outcome.

"They played well, while we were late to rebounds and lost the rebounding battle badly. The rebounds really hurt us tonight," Allemand said. "We also couldn't get out in transition, which is an important part of our game. When you can't establish your offense and you're giving up baskets on the other end, it becomes very difficult."

Washington hosts the Portland Fire on Thursday. Toronto hosts the Atlanta Dream on Friday.