5 Days into Training Camp, this morning the Mystics scrimmaged played against their first WNBA opponent of the 2009 season at Madison Square Garden.

The result? The Mystics lost to the Liberty, 77-71.

0-1 in the preseason. Cause for concern? Well, as they say in New Yawk, fugetaboudit! In 2008 the Mystics finished the preseason with a perfect 3-0 record, and we all remember what a predictor of regular season success that turned out to be!

Judging from the boxscore (and that's all we've got), DC competed pretty well against New York, despite the fact that Alana Beard didn't play. In the plus column, new Mystics Lindsey Harding (11 pts, 3 rbs) and Marissa Coleman (7 pts, 7 rbs, 2 blks) both had very respectable debuts. Also in the plus column, 3 other Mystics finished in double figures: Nakia Sanford posted a game-high 17 pts (and 8 rbs), while Crystal Langhorne was close behind with 15 pts (and 6 rbs), and Mo Currie finished with 12 points (10 of them from the FT line).

There were a couple of negatives, however. In the battle for the back-up PG position, both Nikki Blue and Kiesha Brown failed to score in their limited minutes, and Blue had problems with fouling and turnovers. And Mo Currie also had problems with fouls . . . she picked up her 6th and fouled out of the game after playing about 26 minutes.

Not much more to say . . . preseason games aren't that important in and of themselves. But what is important is the feedback provided to the coaches and GM on how the team and individual players are performing. Games like these allow the coaching staff to take a few readings -- check the wind conditions, barometric pressure, and see if any dark clouds are lingering overhead. Like the work on the practice court tomorrow, they are simply another way of preparing the team for the games that count.

The Mystics have one more preseason outing: next Thursday (against the Liberty again) at 11:30 AM at the Verizon Center. After that, it all begins for real.