Sky-Mystics Preview

Two teams headed in opposite directions collide Wednesday, when the struggling Washington Mystics host Elena Delle Donne and the surging Chicago Sky at Verizon Center.

The Mystics (11-17) snapped a two-game slide with an 88-83 road win over the Dallas Wings on Sunday. But Washington has lost nine of 11 games overall to fall into ninth place in the league standings.

The top eight teams in the league standings, regardless of conference, qualify for the playoffs. Washington trails the Seattle Storm by 1/2 game heading into Wednesday for the eighth and final playoff berth, but will have its hands full with Delle Donne and the Sky.

Chicago (15-13) has won four straight games and seven of eight overall to move into fourth place in the league standings with six games remaining in the regular season.

Delle Donne, the reigning MVP, is having another banner season. She leads the league in scoring, averaging 22.1 points per game, and is coming off a 35-point performance in a blowout win over the San Antonio Stars on Sunday.

The Sky have won the last seven meetings with the Mystics, including all three games this season and a two-game sweep in last year's postseason.

Washington's last win against Chicago came in June, 2015.

The teams battled in an overtime thriller in their last meeting, with Chicago guard Courtney Vandersloot hitting the game-winner with 4.6 seconds left. Delle Donne finished with 28 points in the 86-84 win. Washington guard Taylor Hill had a career-high 28 points in the loss.

Hill had 25 points in the Mystics' win over Dallas on Sunday. Washington trailed by two heading into the fourth quarter, but outscored the Wings 26-19 in the fourth quarter. Hill leads the team in scoring (15.7 points per game) and assists (2.8).