Category: Las Vegas Aces

Aces’ defense smothers Liberty in second straight win, 78-63

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Photo credit: Las Vegas Aces

By Shawn McCullough

Aces head coach Bill Laimbeer has been stressing focus on defense since the beginning of the season. Now it is paying off.

Las Vegas held the New York Liberty to just 63 points, 30 in the second half, in a 78-63 win at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, NY.

Dearica Hambry came off the bench and led the Aces in scoring, dropping 17 points, while Kayla McBride went 7 for 12 from the field for 16 points.

Rookie sensation A’ja Wilson scored 13 points, the lowest point total in her 10-game career.

Up 37-33 at halftime, the Aces went on a 22-7 run to start the second half.

In their three wins this season, the Aces have held their opponents to an average of 76 points per game.

With the win, the Aces improved to 3-7 on the season and are riding a two-game winning streak.

The Aces will complete their current four-game road trip on Friday in Dallas against the Wings.

The Aces next home game will be on Sunday, June 17th against the Phoenix Mercury at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

  • A’ja Wilson has scored in double figures (13 tonight) in all 10 games so far this season.
  • Only 1,419 fans were in attendance for the game at the Westchester County Center.
  • Nia Coffey (ankle) and Moriah Jefferson (knee) did not play due to injury.

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 1 Tamera Young
C – 19 JiSu Park
G – 21 Kayla McBride
G – 10 Kelsey Plum

Aces win second game of the season, beat Fever 101-92 in OT

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Photo credit: Las Vegas Aces

By Shawn McCullough

The Las Vegas Aces outscored the Indiana Fever 17-8 in overtime for their second win of the season in a 101-92 victory at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN.

A’ja Wilson led the Aces with a career-high 35 points and also a career-high 13 rebounds.

Las Vegas led by eight points with a little over two minutes remaining in regulation, but the Fever rallied back to tie the game with 26.6 seconds left.

The Aces started the overtime period on an 8-0 run and never looked back.

The offense came alive against the Fever as the Aces shot 51.9% from the field, while holding Indiana to just 44.4%.

With the win, the Aces improved to 2-7 on the season.

The Aces will play their next two games on the road in New York against the Liberty and in Dallas against the Wings.

The Aces next home game will be on Sunday, June 17th against the Phoenix Mercury at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

  • The Aces never trailed in the game after an A’ja Wilson jump shot with 2:39 left in the first quarter to give Las Vegas a 20-18 lead.
  • A’ja Wilson scored in double figures (35) for the ninth straight game and 30 or more points for the first time in her career.
  • Nia Coffey (ankle) and Moriah Jefferson (knee) did not play due to injury.
  • Yesterday was Nia Coffey’s 23rd birthday.

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 1 Tamera Young
C – 19 JiSu Park
G – 21 Kayla McBride
G – 10 Kelsey Plum

Aces fall to Mercury 72-66 in third straight loss

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Photo credit: Las Vegas Aces

By Shawn McCullough

The Las Vegas Aces rallied in the second half but lost to the Phoenix Mercury 72-66 at the Talking Stick Resort Arena on Sunday.

Down 50-37 at halftime, the Aces went on a 31-14 run in the second half to cut the deficit to four points, but couldn’t get any close.

A’ja Wilson led the Aces with 17 points and added seven rebounds, while Kayla McBride scored 16 points, going 2-for-5 from the 3-point line.

Center JiSu Park pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds.

Mercury guard Diana Taurasi scored a game-high 25 points, including three from 3-point range.

With the loss, the Aces dropped to 1-7 on the season.

The Aces will play their next three games on the road in Indiana, New York and Dallas.

The Aces next home game will be on Sunday, June 17th against the Phoenix Mercury at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

  • The Aces’ only lead in the game was at 2-0 after two Kelsey Plum free throws.
  • A’ja Wilson scored in double figures (17) for the eighth straight game.
  • Las Vegas native Sequoia Holmes was resigned by the Aces on Friday and scored two points in 12 minutes. Holmes was released by the team back on May 16th.
  • Nia Coffey (ankle) and Moriah Jefferson (knee) did not play due to injury.

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 1 Tamera Young
C – 19 JiSu Park
G – 21 Kayla McBride
G – 10 Kelsey Plum

Offensive struggles contribute to Aces’ 87-83 loss to Atlanta

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Photo credit: Shawn McCullough, Sports Radio Service

By Shawn McCullough

The Las Vegas Aces dropped their second straight game in an 87-83 loss to the Atlanta Dream at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Friday.

A’ja Wilson led the Aces with 20 points and nine rebounds, while Kayla McBride added 13 points.

The Aces kept the game close until early in the third quarter when the Dream went on a 16-3 run to take control of the game.

Head Coach Bill Laimbeer has been stressing defense throughout the season, but sparking offense was the struggle for the Aces against the Dream.

“We gave up too many offensive rebounds to this team, but overall I think our defense was OK,” said Laimbeer.  “I think our offense is what hurt us today.”

“It was an offensive struggle,” said Wilson.  “I know for myself, my mind was all over the place, but it is something that I can work on and control.”

The Aces will next play four straight games on the road in Phoenix, Indiana, New York and Dallas.

“It’s going to be tough on the road, but if we have our mentality, it really doesn’t matter if we are home or away,” said Wilson.  “Our focus is there and we have to continue to push through.”

With the loss, the Aces dropped to 1-6 on the season.

“We have all of the pieces to the puzzle, it’s just a matter of coming together,” said Wilson.  “We are still young and we are still missing a few players, but we are learning.”

The Aces next home game will be on Sunday, June 17th against the Phoenix Mercury at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

  • The game was an early Friday matinee game scheduled at noon Pacific.
  • 5,913 Aces fans attended the game.
  • A’ja Wilson scored in double figures (20) for the seventh straight game.
  • Nia Coffey (ankle) and Moriah Jefferson (knee) did not play due to injury.

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 1 Tamera Young
C – 19 JiSu Park
G – 21 Kayla McBride
G – 10 Kelsey Plum

Aces lose second straight game 75-70

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Photo credit: Las Vegas Aces

By Shawn McCullough

The Las Vegas Aces jumped out quickly in the game, but later fell in a close 75-70 loss to the Washington Mystics in the nation’s capital.

A’ja Wilson led the Aces with 16 points and 8 rebounds, while Nia Coffey added a career high 14 points.

The Aces jumped out to a 29-13 lead with 4:20 left in the second quarter, but the Mystics chipped away and finally went on an 8-0 run in the third quarter to even the game.

With the loss, the Aces (formerly the San Antonio Stars) dropped to 0-2 on the season.  The Stars started the 2017 season 0-13 before winning their first game of the season 89-82 over Chicago at home on June 30th.

The Aces will play their home games this season at the Mandalay Bay Events Center and will play their first regular season home game this Sunday, May 27th against the Seattle Storm.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’j Wilson
F – 1 Tamera Young
C – 8 Carolyn Swords
G – 12 Nia Coffey
G – 15 Lindsay Allen

Aces start the season with 101-65 loss to Connecticut

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Photo credit: Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog

By Shawn McCullough

The Las Vegas Aces shot just 26.5% from the field and fell to the Connecticut Sun 101-65 in Uncasville, CT.

Tamera Young led the Aces with 23 points, shooting 7-14 from the field.  Young has a career average of 7.0 points per game over 10 seasons in the WNBA.

A’ja Wilson made her professional debut logging a double-double, 14 points and 10 rebounds, but struggled again from the field going just 3 for 13.  Wilson was just 4 for 17 from the field in the Aces final pre-season game against Dallas.

The Aces jumped out to an early first quarter lead with a 14-4 run, but lost the lead for good soon after when the Sun went on an 11-2 run.

With the loss, the Aces (formerly the San Antonio Stars) dropped to 0-6 in season openers, last winning their season opener in 2012.

The Aces will play their home games this season at the Mandalay Bay Events Center and will play their first regular season home game on Sunday, May 27th against the Seattle Storm.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’j Wilson
F – 1 Tamera Young
C – 8 Carolyn Swords
G – 12 Nia Coffey
G – 15 Lindsay Allen