{"id":986825,"date":"2026-08-07T13:34:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T13:34:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/986825\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T13:34:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T13:34:18","slug":"cotie-mcmahon-uses-a-little-different-crazy-to-fuel-mystics-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/986825\/","title":{"rendered":"Cotie McMahon uses ‘a little different crazy’ to fuel Mystics’ win"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON \u2014 After the final buzzer sounded, all the focus Washington Mystics rookie Cotie McMahon<\/a> had summoned during Wednesday\u2019s win over the Dallas Wings turned into a flood of emotion. She made a \u201cW\u201d sign with her hands<\/a>, placed it on her forehead and stuck out her tongue. She hugged her teammates and even threw in a few dance moves as Mystics fans stood and screamed and Wings fans raced for the exits.<\/p>\n

Then, as she waited for teammate Michaela Onyenwere<\/a> to finish a television interview and for her own to start, McMahon made more \u201cW\u201d signs in the direction of a camera. It was like she couldn\u2019t help it, with all her energy and pride in the Mystics\u2019 performance suddenly having nowhere to go but into celebrating.<\/p>\n

After McMahon did her interview, she turned toward the corner of the court where the entire coaching staff was patiently waiting to high-five her as she exited. She took off her jersey as she ran toward them. Wearing a white undershirt and her pink and purple game shorts, she twirled her jersey in the air like a lasso.<\/p>\n

\u201c[The players] really enjoy playing hard for each other and competing together, and you can feel it,\u201d Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson told reporters postgame about that moment. \u201c\u2026 We love to see that energy and we\u2019re better for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

McMahon, a reserve guard, and starting center Shakira Austin<\/a> led the Mystics to an improbable 96-92 win on Wednesday. Down 76-56 with 3:11 left in the third quarter, they had just a 1% chance to win, per ESPN Analytics<\/a>. Those odds dwindled to 0.8% about a minute later and were still just 1.6% with 6:18 left in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n

But the Mystics closed the third quarter on a 16-4 run, including a 30-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer by guard Sonia Citron<\/a>, and then won the fourth quarter 24-12. All told, it was a 40-16 closing run, and it resulted in the Mystics\u2019 first comeback of 20 or more points since 2017, per Mystics PR.<\/p>\n

The win was also the Mystics\u2019 fifth in a row, boosting their record this season to 17-12. It\u2019s the franchise\u2019s longest winning streak in a single season since 2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2019, they won the championship,\u201d Onyenwere pointed out in her television interview<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019m just saying!\u201d<\/p>\n

Austin had 13 points in the first half and another 12 in the third quarter on Wednesday, which kept the Mystics in striking distance even as the Wings scored 80 points on 59% shooting in the first three quarters. She finished with 27 points on 9-for-15 shooting and 13 rebounds, living up to a sign a fan made in her honor that read, \u201cMay all your swishes come true.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"WashingtonWashington Mystics center Shakira Austin (0) shoots a layup during a game against the Minnesota Lynx at CareFirst Arena in Washington, D.C., on June 24, 2026. (Photo credit: Hannah Kevorkian | The IX Sports)<\/p>\n

Austin is having a career year<\/a> and has been Washington\u2019s best player during the five-game winning streak. She is averaging 22.8 points<\/a>, 10.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game in that stretch while shooting 54.5% from the field. And throughout the season, she has often scored early and set the tone, just like she did against Dallas.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I have to do,\u201d Austin told reporters postgame. \u201cSetting the tone with competitive spirit, not stepping into the game thinking we[\u2019re] friends, that\u2019s something I really take pride in. So I try to pass that on to [my teammates] and, I mean, it\u2019s showing.\u201d<\/p>\n

McMahon also prides herself on energy and toughness, and seeing Austin\u2019s relentlessness makes her want to match it.<\/p>\n

\u201cBring that energy every single day, whether that be practice, lift, movement,\u201d McMahon told reporters postgame when asked what she\u2019d learned from Austin. \u201c\u2026 I feel like that aspect is where Kira really motivates me. She stays hungry, man. Every day, she\u2019s attacking.\u201d<\/p>\n

McMahon brought that attacking energy in the fourth quarter on Wednesday, scoring 10 of her career-high 18 points to lead the Mystics all the way back. She was particularly effective attacking the basket, as she shot seven free throws and made six in the quarter.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn that second half, they just got really, really aggressive,\u201d Wings forward Alanna Smith<\/a> told reporters postgame. \u201cAnd I think for us, it was just maybe a combination of fatigue and fouling and not being able to close out that third quarter. I think that was a big momentum change.\u201d<\/p>\n

McMahon opened the Mystics\u2019 fourth-quarter scoring by hitting two free throws. Then, after the offense went four possessions without scoring, McMahon got the comeback back on track by getting to the free-throw line again.<\/p>\n

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A few minutes later, she went back to the line twice, first tying the game with two free throws and then converting an and-one. McMahon knew how crucial the latter was as soon as she heard the whistle blow and saw her layup fall through the net, and she stomped and screamed in celebration along the baseline. Her free throw put the Mystics up by a point, giving them their first lead of the game with exactly three minutes left.<\/p>\n

From there, Austin and McMahon wouldn\u2019t let the lead go. Austin pulled down three straight defensive rebounds, which led to Citron making a difficult floater and eluding defenders for a layup. Then McMahon blocked Dallas guard Arike Ogunbowale<\/a>\u2019s layup attempt with 33 seconds left to preserve a 3-point lead.<\/p>\n

That set up one of the biggest plays of the game by McMahon. After the Mystics successfully challenged a foul called on her, they had to execute offensively. The Wings deflected the ball away from Citron just inside the 3-point line, but McMahon was the first to it. Then she drove into the lane and hit a turnaround jumper with the shot clock winding down to put the Mystics up by 5 with 11.4 seconds left.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t see anything else but the ball, so I knew I had to go get it,\u201d McMahon said. \u201cAnd I was just doing what\u2019s been working for me, [which] is driving in the paint. I was looking to kick because they did double down, but then I knew I had my spin. \u2026 And I just took my time and put it up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dallas immediately called timeout, and McMahon pointed her finger down, making the \u201cCount it\u201d sign, as she headed to the bench.<\/p>\n

The shot did count, and it gave the Mystics enough breathing room to get the victory. But before the clock ran out, the officials stopped to double-check how much time was left \u2014 and the fans took the opportunity to show their appreciation for the rookie who\u2019d seemingly drawn fouls at will.<\/p>\n

\u201cCOTIE. COTIE. COTIE,\u201d they chanted.<\/p>\n

Hearing that felt \u201cgood,\u201d McMahon said postgame, then paused, causing Austin to chuckle. McMahon added, \u201cBut no, honestly, in that moment, I literally couldn\u2019t think about anything else \u2026 other than the fact that we did it \u2026 [and] that we really just stuck through and stayed resilient.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI love it. I really do,\u201d Austin, a local product, chimed in about the fans\u2019 reaction to McMahon. \u201cI was so happy when I heard those chants. I was gloating about it a little bit to the Dallas girls. \u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cThis city, obviously, it embraces everyone who comes through, but really just people who I think play the right way, play with competitiveness [and] with energy, and really just [are] entertaining. At the end of the day, that\u2019s what we\u2019re here to do is entertain and win, and I think our community has just rallied behind us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"WashingtonWashington Mystics guard Cotie McMahon (23) drives as center Shakira Austin (0) looks on during a game against the Connecticut Sun at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on June 26, 2026. (Photo credit: Chris Poss | The IX Sports)<\/p>\n

McMahon has always played with the aggressiveness that made her so dominant late in Wednesday\u2019s game. It was a big reason why the Mystics drafted her 11th overall<\/a> in April, and all season, they\u2019ve encouraged her to show her aggressiveness, not contain it.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe got a little different crazy over there,\u201d Austin said approvingly.<\/p>\n

As the season has progressed, McMahon has adapted to her role and improved in it.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a rookie, [she\u2019s] trying to figure out her role, trying to figure out her aggressiveness, and that\u2019s something that could take you in or out of the game,\u201d Austin said. \u201cAnd I think she\u2019s decided that she was going to make the most out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

McMahon has been especially pleased with her growth defensively. She said on July 28 that she\u2019d struggled early in the season with her off-ball defense, but it\u2019s clicking for her now.<\/p>\n

When she is both aggressive and comfortable, she is a game-changer off the bench<\/a>. She\u2019s like a thermostat for the Mystics, able to crank the temperature and energy up just by being herself.<\/p>\n

In part because of that ability and the strides she\u2019s taken defensively, McMahon has increasingly been on the court alongside four starters to close out games. Overall this season, she is playing between five and six minutes<\/a> each quarter. But during the five-game winning streak, she is up to 7.5 minutes per game<\/a> in fourth quarters.<\/p>\nQuarterMinutes per game (full season)Minutes per game (last 5 games)<\/tr>\n\nFirst<\/td>\n5.3<\/td>\n4.2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nSecond<\/td>\n5.2<\/td>\n4.8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nThird<\/td>\n5.5<\/td>\n5.3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nFourth<\/td>\n5.6<\/td>\n7.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nTotal<\/td>\n20.3<\/td>\n21.8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Note: Overtime minutes are not shown; the Mystics have not gone to overtime in their last five games. Source: WNBA Stats<\/a><\/p>\n

That closing lineup of McMahon, Citron, Onyenwere, Austin and forward Kiki Iriafen<\/a> has been elite all season, but especially during the winning streak. Of the 12 Mystics lineups<\/a> that have played at least 30 total minutes together this season, that one is easily the most efficient. It\u2019s scoring 137.2 points per 100 possessions and allowing just 92.7 \u2014 a difference of 44.5 points per 100 possessions. None of the other lineups is outscoring teams by even half that much.<\/p>\n

Thirty-two of the 41 total minutes that closing lineup has played have come during the winning streak. And in those games, that lineup has been even better, outscoring teams by 59.1 points per 100 possessions<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we just figure out how to get stops with that group,\u201d Austin said. \u201cI think our defense was really suspect the whole game. \u2026 [But] in crunch time, when it was time to finally sit down, I think we have a good group in that fourth quarter that knows what to do, we\u2019re versatile, and I think we just try to keep them one and done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat lineup in particular, there\u2019s some real toughness there physically, mentally, emotionally,\u201d Johnson said. \u201c[The players are] locked in. [They] don\u2019t back down from the moment. \u2026 Every single one of our players, they fully bought into our togetherness and toughness, and that lineup in particular may showcase it as much as any other lineup.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wednesday\u2019s win, and the four before that, also showcased why the Mystics\u2019 leadership has so much faith in this roster, even though it\u2019s the second-youngest in WNBA history<\/a>. The team is inconsistent at times, leading to struggles like Wednesday\u2019s first half. But when it all comes together, the Mystics can beat anybody, and they\u2019ve been learning at warp speed from playing the most clutch minutes<\/a> in the WNBA this season.<\/p>\n

During their winning streak, the Mystics have beaten the Wings twice, the Valkyries and the Aces, who are three of the top five teams in the standings. They\u2019ve also already beaten each of the other four teams ahead of them in the standings this season.<\/p>\n

The Mystics are so dangerous in part because of the aggressiveness and abandon that Austin and McMahon played with on Wednesday. They don\u2019t care what the score is before the final buzzer sounds or who is in their way. All they care about is getting the win \u2014 and celebrating it with their teammates afterward.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s some X\u2019s and O\u2019s in there, and there\u2019s a lot of player development, but there\u2019s also these moments where you have to gut things out,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cAnd I think we\u2019re showing a lot of that, and that\u2019s because of the connection that we have with each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

Monumental Sports and Entertainment, the group that owns the Washington Mystics, holds a minority stake in The IX Sports. The IX Sports\u2019 editorial operations are entirely independent of Monumental and all other business partners.<\/p>\n

\u2018Rare Gems\u2019 is out now!
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Howard Megdal, founder and editor of The IX Basketball and The IX Sports, wrote this deeply reported book. \u201cRare Gems\u201d follows four connected generations of women\u2019s basketball pioneers, from Elvera \u201cPeps\u201d Neuman to Cheryl Reeve and from Lindsay Whalen to Sylvia Fowles and Paige Bueckers.<\/p>\n

If you enjoy Megdal\u2019s coverage of women\u2019s basketball every Wednesday at The IX Sports, you will love \u201cRare Gems: How Four Generations of Women Paved the Way for the WNBA.\u201d <\/p>\n

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