Mystics defeat Brazilian national team 71-56

Rookies Tayler Hill and Emma Meesseman scored 12 points apiece and the Washington Mystics held Brazil's national team to 18 second half points in a 71-56 exhibition win Wednesday.

The Mystics opened the second half with a 10-0 run in the first five minutes, and Brazil got no closer than within six the rest of the way. Monique Currie added 11 points and six assists for Washington.

Damiris Amaral led Brazil with 12 points.

The game was the debut of new Mystics coach and general manager Mike Thibault.

Thibault, who spent ten seasons with the Connecticut Sun and leads active WNBA coaches with 206 wins, was hired in December to revive a franchise that went 11-57 over the past two seasons.