Mystics beat Fire 124-123 in second quadruple-overtime game in WNBA history

The Portland Fire and Washington Mystics played the second quadruple-overtime game in WNBA history on Sunday, with the Mystics finally prevailing over the expansion Fire 124-123.

Sonia Citron’s layup for Washington with 21.4 seconds remaining in the fourth overtime period ended up being the game-winner. The second-year pro finished with a career-high 32 points. She hit 13-of-14 free throws and also grabbed 6 rebounds.

Portland’s Bridget Carleton hit a turnaround jumper from the left baseline with 3.4 seconds left in triple overtime to tie the score at 116-116.

Prior to Carleton’s clutch shot in triple OT, Carla Leite extended the game twice with last-second 3-pointers at the end of regulation and the first overtime period.

The second-year guard banked in a 3 from the right wing with 0.4 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to tie the score at 87-87. And in the first overtime, her 3-pointer from the left of the arc with 18.3 seconds on the clock resulted in a 99-99 tie.

Leite then hit a 3 to put the Fire ahead 110-109 in triple overtime. However, she missed a jumper from the free-throw line with 29.8 seconds left that would have tied the game yet again and perhaps forced a fourth overtime period.

And with 0.5 seconds remaining in the fourth overtime, Leite missed a free throw that would have tied the score. She then misfired on a floater that would have given Portland the win.

Leite finished with 25 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists and 3 steals to lead Portland. Sarah Ashlee Barker followed with 23 points and Megan Gustafson added 20 points. Both of them recorded 5 rebounds and 3 assists as well.

Washington was also involved in the league’s previous quadruple-overtime game nearly 25 years ago, defeating the Seattle Storm, 72-69, on July 3, 2001. Lauren Jackson was the leading scorer in that contest with 24 points for Seattle.