Author: psushawn

Sparks cool off the Aces, 76-68

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Photo credit: Los Angeles Sparks

By Shawn McCullough

The Los Angeles Sparks snapped the Aces three game winning streak with a 76-68 win at Staples Center.

The Aces led by six in the 3rd quarter, but the Sparks went on a 13-2 run to take the lead for good.

“The second half we just turned the ball over again,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer.  “We didn’t take care of the basketball, missed easy shots and lose again.”

Kayla McBride led the Aces with 19 points including three 3-pointers, while Dearica Hamby added 11 points and 11 rebounds.

“We need to take care of the ball,” said Hamby.  “Other than that, we just missed shots that we normally make.”

Liz Cambage scored in single digits (9) for the second straight game.

The Aces have still won eight of their last 10 games.

With the loss, the Aces fell to 14-7 on the season heading into their next game on Saturday in Dallas against the Wings.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

  • The Aces scored just 8 points in the 4th quarter. 
  • The Aces out-rebounded the Sparks 39-33.
  • There were 13 lead changes in the game.
  • Los Angeles connected on 42.3 percent of its field goal attempts, while Las Vegas made 35.2 percent of its shots.

Game Starters:

F – 5 Dearica Hamby
F – 21 Kayla McBride
C – 8 Liz Cambage
G – 0 Jackie Young
G – 10 Kelsey Plum

Aces blow out Wings, 86-54

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Photo credit: Shawn McCullough/Sports Radio Service

By Shawn McCullough

The Las Vegas Aces showed that when their stars are either not available or have an off night, the bench can win games also.

Dearica Hamby, filling in for injured forward A’ja Wilson, scored 18 points, while going 6 for 8 from the field and hitting two 3-pointers in an 86-54 win at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

“I know people always talk about the post all-star hangover, but we did a really good job of setting the tempo very early and played good defense,” said Hamby.

Tamera Young came off the bench and scored a season high 18 points.

“It’s always important to play well and help out,” said Tamera Young.  “We’re finishing out the second half of the season, making a run at playoffs, so the bench has to come in and do our part. I think we did a great job of that tonight.”

All-Star center Liz Cambage went just 1 for 12 from the field for six points.

“Basically what we did tonight is what we were supposed to do, win a basketball game,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer.  “By two or by 32, it doesn’t really matter we just need to get the home win.”

The Aces (14-6) have now won eight of their last nine games heading into their next game in Los Angeles against the Sparks on Thursday at the Staples Center.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

  • The Aces held the Wings to just 28.6% from the field.
  • Liz Cambage’s 50 game streak of scoring in double digits came to an end (6 points).
  • The Wings have now lost 16 straight games on the road.
  • The Aces had 27 assists in the game, to Dallas’ 11.

Game Starters:

F – 5 Dearica Hamby
F – 21 Kayla McBride
C – 8 Liz Cambage
G – 0 Jackie Young
G – 10 Kelsey Plum

Team Wilson wins All-Star game, 129-126

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Photo credit: Shawn McCullough/Sports Radio Service

photo from espn.com from the main page: Indiana’s Erica Wheeler, undrafted out of college, sought to put on a show in her All-Star debut. She succeeded

By Shawn McCullough

LAS VEGAS–Aces forward A’ja Wilson couldn’t help her team in the WNBA All-Star game because of a sprained ankle, but she knew that she drafted a team that would win.

Team Wilson held on to beat Team Della Donne 129-126 in the 2019 All-Star game at the Mandalay Bay Event Center.

“I’m glad I drafted them correctly,” said Wilson on her team.  “To get my first win as a captain, it’s super special.  I couldn’t have done it without any of them.”

Aces head coach Bill Laimbeer coached Team Wilson, while center Liz Cambage and forward Kayla McBride started for Laimbeer.

Cambage scored eight points with six rebounds, while McBride dropped 13 including three 3-pointers.

“This is just kind of a way for us to give it back to women’s basketball, the WNBA, the league,” said McBride on the All-Star experience.  “These are All-Stars for a reason. They’ve been the elite in the league, the best women’s professional basketball league in the world.  This is the best of the best, it was amazing.”

Indiana Fever guard Erica Wheeler won the game MVP scoring 25 points including seven three-pointers.

The Aces (13-6) will start their second half of the season on Tuesday against the Dallas Wings at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

McBride falls short in WNBA’s 3-point contest

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cover photo from sfgate.com Connecticut Sun’s Shekinna Stricklen reacts after winning the 3-point contest during the WNBA All-Star festivities Friday, July 26, 2019, in Las Vegas

galley photos: Shawn McCullough Sports Radio  Service

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Las Vegas Aces G-F Kayla McBride during the WNBA 3-point contest at the 2019 All-Star weekend (Photo credit: Shawn McCullough/Sports Radio Service)

By Shawn McCullough

Aces G-F Kayla McBride got a second chance to improve on her second place performance in last year’s WNBA 3-point contest.   Unfortunately, Connecticut Sun’s G-F Shekinna Stricklen had something to say about that.

Stricklen beat McBride in the final round by one point, 23-22, to win the 3-point contest and $10,000 for her charity Room 29:11.

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Connecticut Sun’s G-F Shekinna Stricklen, winner of the 2019 WNBA 3-point contest (Photo credit: Shawn McCullough/Sports Radio Service)

McBride led all shooters in the first round, also with 22 points, to advance to the finals against Stricklen, who scored 21 points.

McBride finished second also in last year’s 3-point contest in Minnesota to Chicago Sky’s G Allie Quigley.

First Round

 

  • Kayla McBride (Las Vegas) – 22
  • Shekinna Stricklen (Connecticut) – 21
  • Allie Quigley (Chicago) – 19
  • Kia Nurse (New York) – 14
  • Erica Wheeler (Indiana) – 12
  • Chelsea Gray (Los Angeles) – 8


Final

  • Shekinna Stricklen (Connecticut) – 23
  • Kayla McBride (Las Vegas) – 22

 

Aces head into All-Star Break with win over Storm, 79-62

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20190602 - Dearica Hamby 01

Photo credit: Shawn McCullough/Sports Radio Service

By Shawn McCullough

Getting rest during the All-Star Break could be good for the Aces, but it could be bad with how well they are playing right now.

The Aces have won seven of their last eight games with a 79-62 win over the Seattle Storm at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

“There’s nothing better than going into All-Star break with a win,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer.  “Any time before an All-Star break you never know how it’s going to go.  We got it.”

The Aces were led by forward Dearica Hamby with 24 points, who is starting in place of injured forward A’ja Wilson.  Liz Cambage recorded her third straight double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

The Aces held the Storm to just 35% from the field and forced 18 turnovers.

“Just playing hard and helping each other out,” said Hamby on their defensive effort.  “When we take care of the ball our defense is great.”

The Aces head into the All-Star Break with a 13-6 record and sit atop the WNBA standings.

Three Aces were elected as starters in the All-Star Game: Liz Cambage, Kayla McBride and A’ja Wilson (who will not play due to an ankle injury).

Wilson is an All-Star Game captain along with Washington Mercury’s Elena Delle Donne, who did a school yard draft to set the teams for Saturday’s All-Star Game in Las Vegas.

Wilson drafted Los Angeles Sparks’ Chelsea Gray with her first pick, Aces’ forward Kayla McBride with her second pick and Aces’ center Liz Cambage with her third pick.

“Oh, okay, I see how it is,” said Cambage jokingly on being picked third by Wilson.  “She clearly doesn’t love me like I thought she did, so I’m gonna have a heart-to-heart with her. It is what it is. At the end of the day, it’s just All-Star, I don’t actually really care that she chose me third.”

Aces head coach Bill Laimbeer with coach Wilson’s team.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

  • Liz Cambage scored in double figures for the 50th straight time, which is the longest active streak in the WNBA (15 points).
  • All five of the Aces starters scored in double figures, outscoring the Storm starters, 75-43.
  • The Aces only got 4 points off the bench.
  • Rookie Jackie Young scored a career-high 13 points.

Game Starters:

F – 5 Dearica Hamby
F – 21 Kayla McBride
C – 8 Liz Cambage
G – 0 Jackie Young
G – 10 Kelsey Plum

Aces beat Lynx without Wilson, 79-74

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Photo credit: Shawn McCullough/Sports Radio Service

By Shawn McCullough

LAS VEGAS–The loss of forward A’ja Wilson to an ankle injury would cripple any other WNBA team, but not the Aces.

Liz Cambage and Kayla McBride combined for 42 points to beat the Minnesota Lynx 79-74 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Cambage finished with her second straight double-double, scoring 22 points and pulling down 13 rebounds.

Wilson sprained her ankle on Friday against the Storm in Seattle, but cheered on the team from the bench while on crutches.

With the win, the Aces improved to 12-6 on the season to move into a first place tie with the Connecticut Sun.

The Aces will next host the Seattle Storm on Tuesday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

  • Liz Cambage scored in double figures for the 48th straight time, which is the longest active streak in the WNBA (22 points).
  • The Aces only got 13 points off the bench.
  • Guard Sydney Colson left the game in the second half after spraining her left ankle.
  • NBA legend Bill Russell was in attendance.

Game Starters:

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

Aces fall on the road to Storm, 69-66

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Photo credit: Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

By Shawn McCullough

The Aces rallied from being down eight points at halftime, but fell short 69-66 against the Seattle Storm at Alaska Airlines Arena.

Liz Cambage led the Aces with 16 points and 14 rebounds, while A’ja Wilson added 11.

Las Vegas was plagued by 21 turnovers and shot 41.9% from the field.

The loss snapped a five game winning streak for the Aces which took them to the top of the WNBA standings.

The Aces fell to 11-6 on the season and will next return home to start a three game home stand starting against the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

  • Liz Cambage scored in double figures for the 47th straight time, which is the longest active streak in the WNBA (16 points).
  • The Aces got 20 points off the bench.
  • The Storm shot just 27.8% from the field.

Game Starters:

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

Aces win 5th straight game, 85-81

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Photo credit: Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal

By Shawn McCullough

Guard Sydney Colson came off the bench to lead the Aces with 17 points in an 85-81 win over the Mystics in Washington, D.C.

A’ja Wilson also scored 17 points while Kayla McBride put up 16.  Liz Cambage scored 13 points while pulling down nine rebounds.

The Aces trailed by 12 points after the first quarter, but rallied back and came out in the second quarter to pull within one point at the half.

The Aces held the Mystics to just 38.9% from the field.

With the win, the Aces improved to 10-5 on the season and will finish a four game road trip on Friday in Seattle against the Storm.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

  • Liz Cambage scored in double figures for the 46th straight time, which is the longest active streak in the WNBA (13 points).
  • The Aces shot 4 for 12 from three-point range.
  • The Aces committed 16 turnovers.
  • Las Vegas out-rebounded the Mystics 41-33.

Game Starters:

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

Aces pound Liberty behind McBride and Cambage, 90-58

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Untitled

Photo credit: Las Vegas Aces

By Shawn McCullough

The Aces won their third straight game with a 90-58 victory over the New York Liberty at Westchester County Center.

Kayla McBride led the Aces with 24 points while hitting five of seven from three-point range.   Liz Cambage added 21 with 11 rebounds.

The Aces held the Liberty to just 29.7% from the field as defense was their primary focus against New York.

“We talked about defensive intensity, something we have been lacking the last three games,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer.  “Tonight was defensive and that was the game plan.”

“We wanted to come out and set the tone on defense first, and let our offense take over,” said McBride.  “I thought we all did a great job across the board from the bench to the starters. We came in with the mindset that we are going to get stops on defense and win this game.”

With the win, the Aces improved to 9-5 on the season and moved into a 2nd place tie with the Connecticut Sun heading into Wednesday’s game in Indiana against the Fever.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

  • Liz Cambage scored in double figures for the 45th straight time, which is the longest active streak in the WNBA (season-high 21 points).
  • The Aces outscored the Liberty 42-28 in points in the paint.
  • The Liberty committed 19 turnovers.
  • Only 1, 971 fans attended the game.

Game Starters:

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