Author: psushawn

Photo credit: Sports Radio Service/Shawn McCullough

By Shawn McCullough

The Aces won their fourth game in their last five with a 90-82 victory over the Chicago Sky at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

“Grind out win. That’s what today was, was a grinded out game,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer. “Our defense was not there for two-thirds of the game but it happens that way sometimes. Our offense was able to carry the day.”

The Aces got balanced scoring with five players scoring 14 or more points led by Kayla McBride, A’ja Wilson and Liz Cambage with 16.

“That’s the big thing with our team, we have so many weapons on our offensive end. We can do it in so many different ways,” said McBride. “It comes from so many different places and that’s the dynamic of our team.”

The Aces shot 53.7% from the field and 5 for 7 from three point range.

“We score off of our defense and transitions, and we also just score off of the weapons we have on the offensive end,” said McBride. “I thought it was a great team effort.”

With the win, the Aces improved to 8-5 on the season heading into a third straight home game on Friday against the Washington Mystics at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

• The game tipped off at noon.
• It was “Camp Day” at the game where summer camps are invited to attend an Aces day-game matchup.
• Liz Cambage extended her streak of double-digit scoring efforts to 44 games (16 points). That is the longest active streak in the WNBA.
• Las Vegas outscored Chicago 54-30 in the paint.

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: Sports Radio Service/Shawn McCullough

By Shawn McCullough

The Aces trailed by as many as eight points, but rallied to force overtime and got 12 point from Liz Cambage in the extra time for a 102-97 win over the Indiana Fever at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

“I thought we played a decent basketball game,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer.  “I thought Indiana played phenomenal. They came in with nothing to lose and raised up from all over the court and made shots and led most of the game. Give them a lot of credit for that.”

A’ja Wilson scored a career high 39 points, shooting 14 for 20 from the field while playing just over 40 minutes.

“I kind of get into this zone and this place where I can’t feel anything I just know that I have to score this basketball, I have to produce for my team,” said Wilson.

Cambage struggled throughout the night but stepped up big in overtime.

“I just played horribly tonight until overtime,” said Cambage.  “I just came out to play [in OT]. Maybe it’s pressure, I don’t know what it is, but I need to get it together and work it out.”

With the win, the Aces improved to 7-5 on the season heading into a game on Tuesday at noon against the Chicago Sky at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

• The Aces out-rebounded Indiana 50-32.
• The Fever shot 13 for 24 from three point range.
• The Aces shot 48.1% from the field.
• It was PRIDE night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center with 4,581 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

Photo credit: (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

By Shawn McCullough

The Aces got 18 points from center Liz Cambage in an 86-74 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The Aces shot just 41.7% from the field while hitting just 29.4% from three point range.

A’ja Wilson and Dearica Hamby each scored 13 points.

With the loss, the Aces fell to 6-5 on the season heading into a game on Saturday against the Indiana Fever at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

• The Aces turned the ball over 20 times.
• A’ja Wilson scored in double figures for the 43rd time in 44 career games.
• Jackie Young handed out a career-high 9 assists.

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: Sports Radio Service/Shawn McCullough

By Shawn McCullough

Liz Cambage had June, 22, 2019 circled in red on her calendar for over a month now.

Cambage helped the Aces beat her former team, the Dallas Wings, 86-68 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

After the Aces acquired Cambage in May, she spoke openly about her struggles with her time with the Tulsa Shock, who later became the Dallas Wings.

“I was drafted to a team that I was open to not wanting to be a part of.  When I came to the league, I was looking to be nurtured, I wanted to grow and I wanted to be looked after and cared for, but I was thrown in the deep end and I was just another object,” said Cambage back in May.

But Cambage is in a better place now in Las Vegas.

Cambage scored 11 points and pulled down nine rebounds, while Dearica Hamby came off the bench and scored a career high 27 points.

“Most importantly, I am just glad we got the win,” said Hamby. “It was a team effort and every night I come out and play as hard as I can and give it everything I got, so I’m glad it was rewarded tonight.”

Forward A’ja Wilson scored 20 points going 9 for 12 from the field.

“This is the type of team that we need to be at all times,” said Wilson.  “We didn’t really show that against Washington, so we knew had to go back to the drawing board and get an understanding of where people need to be on time and just communicate out there. That’s what we did.”

With the win, the Aces improved to 5-4 on the season heading into a matchup against the Seattle Storm on Tuesday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

• The Aces bench contributed with 37 points.
• Las Vegas had 31 assists in the game compared to Dallas’ 13.
• The Aces shot 53% from the field.
• Former Aces guard Moriah Jefferson, who was part of the Liz Cambage trade, did not play due to being on the temporarily suspended list.

Game Starters:

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