Roughly a few wins shy of authoring a one-of-a-kind in-season turnaround, the Washington Mystics have discovered boosts through a bench that ranks No. 1 across the WNBA in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and 3-point percentage over a must-have 10-game stretch. On September 13, 2024, Washington allowed Emily Engstler and the reserves to lead something of a different kind: a win in the regular season’s biggest game to date. Assigned first the night’s toughest defensive task, Engstler discourages Allisha Gray effectively enough to prompt a pass before flipping the switch to help defender mode through a precisely-timed rotation and swat of Naz Hillmon’s pick-and-roll layup attempt. The block helped Washington — ahead 68-67 in the final minute-and-a-half — force a pivotal shot clock violation. Uniquely productive even without scoring, Engstler produced five rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and a +4 plus-minus in a team-high 23 bench minutes, helping guide Washington, once 0-12, into a tie for the last playoff spot. · Sep 13, 2024