Author: psushawn

Photo credit: Phelan M. Ebenhack (Associated Press)

By Shawn McCullough

A superstar is emerging in the WNBA.

Forward A’ja Wilson dropped 21 points and pulled down 11 rebounds as the Las Vegas Aces rolled over the Atlanta Dream, 100-70.

“She makes other players better,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer of Wilson.  “She is really coming into her own right now and she knows that this is her time to help lead this ball club.”

Wilson has scored over 20 points in her first two games of the season, scoring 22 points against Chicago on Sunday.

“I embrace it,” said Wilson on being the team leader.  “I don’t see it as pressure and I am taking it all in stride and having fun with it.”

Dearica Hamby came off the bench and scored 20 points, while Angel McCoughtry dropped 12 against her former team of 10 years.

“It was different,” said McCoughtry.  “It was a little weird after being on that team for so long, but I am where I belong with the Aces.”

With the win, the Aces improved to 1-1 heading into their next game on Friday against the 0-2 Phoenix Mercury.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

• After shooting 0-5 from 3 point range on Sunday against Chicago, the Aces went 6 for 9 from beyond the arc tonight.
• Las Vegas dominated on the boards, out-rebounding Atlanta 47-25.
• A’ja Wilson registered a double-double in back to back games.

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 35 Angel McCoughtry
C – 4 Carolyn Swords
G – 15 Lindsey Allen
G – 21 Kayla McBride

Photo credit: Phelan M. Ebenhack (Associated Press)

By Shawn McCullough

The improbable WNBA season began for the Aces, but not as they had hoped.

After the Aces led for most of the game, the Chicago Sky rallied back with an 11-0 run to finish the game to beat the Aces, 88-86, at the IMG Bubble in Bradenton, FL.

“We have a lot of potential, but we just let it slip in the last two minutes, we had the game,” said forward Angel McCoughtry.

McCoughtry scored 25 points and pulled down eight rebounds in her first game with the Aces after signing with Las Vegas back in February.

Aces All-Star forward A’ja Wilson added 22 points with 11 rebounds, combining with McCoughtry to score 47 of the Aces 86 points.

“We need scoring and they [McCoughtry and Wilson] are the two people who can provide the scoring,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer.  “Those are the two horses.”

The Aces finished the game 0 for 5 from 3-point range, while the Sky went 9 for 27 from beyond the arc.

“We had control of the game throughout and just didn’t make the right plays,” said Laimbeer.  “But our team played better than I thought that we would play and I thought that overall it was a good showing for us.”

With the loss, the Aces fall to 0-1 to start a 22 game schedule in which Las Vegas will play each of the other 11 WNBA teams twice.

The entire WNBA is playing all games in Bradenton, FL in the IMG Bubble to protect players, staff, referees and media from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“You are so locked in, it really didn’t feel any different honestly,” said forward Dearica Hamby about playing without fans.  “It still felt like a real game.”

The Aces will next play on Wednesday against Angel McCoughtry’s former team, the Atlanta Dream.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com
Game Notes:

• The Aces shot 46.8% from the field.
• Las Vegas out-rebounded Chicago 42-33.
• The Aces turned the ball over 17 times.

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 35 Angel McCoughtry
C – 4 Carolyn Swords
G – 15 Lindsey Allen
G – 21 Kayla McBride

Photo credit: AP Photo/John Locher

By Shawn McCullough

The dream of a WNBA championship for the Las Vegas Aces faded away on Tuesday night.

The Washington Mystics won the best of five series, three games to one, with a 94-90 victory over the Aces at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

“At this point, obviously, we’d like to win our home games and move on to game five and throw it up and see who wins, but it didn’t happen,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer. “I told our players to hold their heads high.  I think that this was not a brutal loss.   We got beat by a basketball team that out-executed us and they played very well.”

Liz Cambage led the Aces with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while Dearica Hamby came off the bench and added 18.

“It was a very interesting season, but definitely my favorite season that I have ever had in the WNBA,” said Cambage.

The Aces will head into the 2020 season with five unrestricted free agents: Liz Cambage, Tamera Young, Sugar Rodgers, Carolyn Swords, Jaime Nared.

“Going forward, we are all excited about this situation,” said Laimbeer about their team for next season. “We will make some changes, obviously every team does.  We know some pieces that we need.”

“I love this team, I love my teammates, I love this city,” said Cambage. “This is hands down the best organization that I have ever been a part of and hopefully they will have me back for next season because I don’t want to be anywhere else.”

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Series Results:

Game 1 – Mystics 97, Aces 95
Game 2 – Mystics 103, Aces 91
Game 3 – Aces 92, Mystics 75
Game 4 – Mystics 94, Aces 90

Game Notes:

• A’ja Wilson scored just four points in 26 minutes, going 1 for 4 from the field.
• The Mystics will return to the WNBA Finals in back to back seasons.
• The Aces out-rebounded the Mystics 39-29.

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 21 Kayla McBride
C – 8 Liz Cambage
G – 0 Jackie Young
G – 10 Kelsey Plum

Photo credit: Nick Wass (Associated Press)

By Shawn McCullough

The Aces went down two games to none in the best of five playoff series after a 103-91 loss to the Mystics in Washington, D.C.

“Washington did what they are supposed to do, win their home games,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer. “Now it’s our turn to go back to Las Vegas and now it’s our turn to go back to our home court and then come back here [Washington, D.C.] and go at it again.”

The Aces trailed at halftime 50-49, but the Mystics pulled away in the third quarter outscoring the Aces 30-20.

Liz Cambage recorded back to back double-doubles, scoring 23 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.

“We aren’t done, we are just getting started,” said Cambage. “This is serious for a reason.  We get to go home and go back to the house and play in front of our fans who lift us up every game.”

Kelsey Plum added 19, going 9 for 15 from the field.

“They [Mystics] capitalize on every mistake that you make and they are such a good team in terms of how they execute,” said Plum.

The two teams will next play game 3 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Sunday.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Playoff Schedule:

Game 1 – Mystics 97, Aces 95
Game 2 – Mystics 103, Aces 91
Game 3 – Sunday, September 22 – Mystics at Aces
Game 4 – Tuesday, September 24 – Mystics at Aces (if needed)
Game 5 – Thursday, September 26 – Aces at Mystics (if needed)

Game Notes:

• The Mystics shot 52.1% from the field, while the Aces shot 49.3%
• Las Vegas out-rebounded Washington again 35-28.
• The Aces turned the ball over 12 times to the Mystics six.

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 21 Kayla McBride
C – 8 Liz Cambage
G – 0 Jackie Young
G – 10 Kelsey Plum