Category: Las Vegas Aces

Raiders dropped their second straight game; losing to Steelers, 32-13, in Sin City

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (right) gets by Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Tyree Wilson (left) for a touchdown in the first half at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sun Oct 13, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Michael Roberson

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders (2-4) rolled Craps against the Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2), 32-13, on a Sunday Afternoon in the Silver State.

The Raiders fell two games below .500, while failing to stop the Steel City boys from the Quaker State from controlling the scoreboard and the stadium 32-13. There was an overwhelming presence by the well traveled Western Pennsylvania Steelers’ Faithful,, as well as several hundred, to thousands of transplants.

Pittsburgh got on the board first with a 52-yard field goal by kicker Chris Boswell.. The Steelers first drive slowed down, and they settled for a FG. Within the first five minutes of the game, the Black & Goal led the Silver and Black 3-0.

Within the last five minutes of the quarter, the Raiders responded. A three yard TD run by running back Alexander Mattison put the home team up 7-3. That was also the score after the first 15 minutes expired.

The second stanza was all Pittsburgh, as Justin Fields and Boswell provided all the scoring. Boswell booted a 49-yarder, and Fields converted a three yard keeper. At the midpoint of the contest, the Keystone State guests were up 12-7. Justin Fields used both modes of operation, as he passed for 83 yards and rushed for 43.

The second half was more of the same, with Pittsburgh totally controlling the third quarter, adding ten more points to their total. Boswell hit another FG through the uprights (37), and the Steelers led 15-7 at that point of the game. About five minutes later, running back Najee Harris scampered into the the end zone from 36 yards from scrimmage. 22-7, Steelers after 3/4 of the battle was over..

The final quarter was perpetual steel driving, as an interception by the disrespectful Pennsylvanians was immediately converted into more points. Justin Fields decided to end all the nonsense and rush to pay dirt with another keeper (7). Steelernation went up by 22 points, 29-7.

There was still a lot of the quarter left, and the Raiders managed to use that to their advantage. Aidan O’Connell tossed a nine yard TD pass to wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson to bring the deficit to 16 points (29-13), because they failed on the two point conversion.

The Steelers had more ammunition as Boswell used his leg again to increase the lead. With just under four mints left in the game, Pittsburgh’s kicker made another one from 36 yards. The Steelers led 32-13, and would hang on to that margin until the final whistle, after 60 minutes of regulation time.

The Raiders are next in action Sunday, October 20 in Los Angeles, to take on the Rams at 1:05 PM PDT on CBS. The Steelers fly cross-country to host the New York Jets, also on the 20th at 8:15 PM EST.

Aces Self Destruct In Fourth Quarter Losing Game Four to New York 76-62; Vegas knocked out in three of four games

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray (12) knocks the ball out of the hand of New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (22) during game 4 of the WNBA Playoffs at Barclay Center in Brooklyn on Sun Oct 6, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

There will be no three-peat for the Las Vegas Aces (1-3) in this year’s post-season. They fought hard through three quarters of basketball trailing by a single basket for much of the game but came unglued in the fourth quarter.

The New York Liberty (3-1) poured it on in the final quarter winning the game 76-62 a testament of why they are the best team in the WNBA. They were unstoppable in the fourth quarter. The bright spot for the Aces was the three time MVP A’ja Wilson who has done what no players has ever done in the WNBA.

There will be a new champion this season. It all starts at Barclay Center Thursday night with the Liberty taking on the winner of the Lynx/Sun matchup who played on Sunday.

Game recap: The start from Sabrina Ionescu will be monumental and she delivered in the opening quarter. With under three minutes left in the first quarter she had already scored 12 points.

This came as no surprise after her lackluster performance in game three. She is a huge part of this offense and you will rarely see a game where she fails to score at all through three quarters. She came out with a vengeance in the opening quarter finishing with the 12 points.

The Liberty began to take a measurable lead in the quarter leading by as much as eight points but the Aces came roaring back after New York went on a 10-0 run to start the quarter. After the first ten minutes of play the Liberty had a 23-19 lead. Despite the slow start, the Aces had made up for lost ground.

Mid-way through the second quarter, this game began to go sideways for the Aces. Las Vegas only had one turnover but they had begun to miss shots and the Liberty were driving the paint successfully making layups. New York took a 37-27 lead at 5:41.

Las Vegas had a fight on their hands and they were already over the limit with a half a quarter remaining until halftime. With under four minutes left in the half, the Aces were chipping away at New York’s lead in a crazy physical game trailing by two points 39-37 with a minute and a half left in the second quarter. At 1:08 left in the half the Aces trailed by a single point 39-38.

At the half New York had a 41-38 lead and Las Vegas had put the stops on Ionescu who did not score a single point in the second quarter. The Aces would need a lot more of that in the second half. This game would be won on defense.

The only Las Vegas player with double digits was Kelsey Plum with 12 and A’ja Wilson was on the cusp with nine points and five rebounds. The team would need a big second half from Jackie Young. Las Vegas only had two turnovers in the first half which was outstanding especially against a team with the defense that New York has. The heart and determination of this team led by A’ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray makes Las Vegas a very dangerous team; this game was absolutely still up for grabs.

The New York Liberty had both Breanna Stewart and Ionescu in double digits. Stewart with 15 points and Ionescu with 12. This game had been all New York however, the Aces only trailed by a basket.

A wild third quarter got underway and while the Aces were close they did trail most of the quarter 51-49 with under a minutes left on the clock. As the clock ran out Jackie Young hit a three giving the Aces their first lead of the second half but it was determined that the clock ran out prior to Young’s shot.

Las Vegas still trailed but it was by a single basket 53-51 going into the fourth quarter. The Las Vegas defense continued to contain Ionescu only allowing her three points in the third quarter. Plum did not score for Las Vegas either in the third.

New York began to extend their slim lead as the fourth quarter got underway taking a 57-51 lead. This was not the way Las Vegas wanted to start the final quarter of this game. The Liberty had out-rebounded the Aces almost 2 to 1.

New York had 39 rebounds and the Aces 21. There was still a lot of time left on the clock but Las Vegas needed to tighten up their defense and get their offense back on track. It just did not happen. Chelsea Gray had five fouls and Jonquel Jones and Leonie Fiebich had four fouls apiece for the Liberty.

New York set the pace in the fourth quarter while the Aces were struggling offensively trailing 64-53, the Liberty’s largest lead of the game. An Aces time-out was called with 5:45 left in the game.

Jackie Young continued to struggle unable to hit any thing in the fourth quarter and the Aces were running out of time. The Las Vegas was 1 of 11 in the fourth quarter with four minutes left in the game. The Aces lost this game in the fourth quarter with the Liberty outscoring them 23-11 in a blow-out. The final was 76-62. There would be a new champion crowned this year.

Game notes: Sunday afternoon the Aces met the Liberty in game four of their series getting knocked out the 3-1. Las Vegas failed to play unblemished basketball and couldn’t keep their three peat hopes alive. The Aces will saw a more determined group in game four, and the Aces made mistakes against New York in game four.

The Aces needed to protect the ball the way they did in game three but the Liberty were able to take crucial shots and the Aces had trouble on defense. They needed the defense they had in game 3 and they didn’t get solid offense on Sunday. This was far more a difficult game to control than it was last Friday night although the first half of that game was close throughout. It sure was a battle. No team had come back after trailing 0-2 in a series.

Las Vegas had a miserable fourth quarter after playing so close in the first three quarters. Their offense fell apart and the Liberty took full advantage offensively and defensively. The Aces could not hit a thing in the fourth quarter and as the clock ran out their dreams of a three peat also ran out. Regardless, they had an amazing season after a very slow start and they have a lot to be proud of.

10-0 New York run

Aces Beat Liberty For First Time This Season 95-81; Vegas cuts New York’s lead to one; Aces can tie series Sunday

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Las Vegas Aces guard Tiffany Hayes (15) is fouled by the New York Liberty forward Nyara Sabally (8) in game 3 of the WNBA Playoffs at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

With grit and determination, the Las Vegas Aces (1-2) beat the New York Liberty (2-1) for the first time this year. This game was a win big or go home for Las Vegas trailing 0-2 and the Aces starters could not have picked a better time to turn things around.

Playing at home was a plus but it was the defense, the lack of turnovers and some brilliant offense that won this game. The first half was back and forth with 18 lead changes but the second half was a different story with the Aces totally dominating winning the game 95-81.

All four of the Vegas starters had double digits and A’ja Wilson had another double double with 17 points and 13 rebounds. The Aces were protecting the ball well Friday night with only six turnovers through three quarters.

Game recap: It was a wild first half of basketball with 18 lead changes the most in WNBA playoff history. The Aces led after the first ten minutes of play 26-23 in a close contest. Another back and forth quarter ensued with the both teams scoring 26 points in the second.

Las Vegas led at halftime 52-49 with the promise of two more crazy quarters before this game was all said and done. The Aces had contained Sabrina Ionescu who had not scored at all in the first half. The Liberty’s Jonquel Jones was in a bit of trouble with three fouls.

Mid-way through the third quarter, New York was forced to call a time-out when Las Vegas led 61-53. The Liberty missed 12 shots in a row in the quarter and Jones had her fourth foul. Las Vegas really got going in the quarter leading 66-53 with 2:51 left in the third quarter.

The Liberty were committing some uncharacteristic fouls and turnovers. The Aces had a 13-0 run going with 1:31 left in the quarter leading 73-53 and Las Vegas had taking control of the third.

They outscored the Liberty 21-6 in the quarter and New York had gone eight minutes without scoring. The Aces took a 73-55 lead into the fourth quarter. Ionescu had still not scored and with Jones in danger of fouling out, New York had a lot of work to do and it seemed unlikely that Las Vegas was slowing down in any way.

The Aces did not back off leading by 25 points at one point in the final quarter. The final was 95-81 Aces. With under three minutes left in the game the starters took the bench. Jackie Young had the team high with 24 points.

Kelsey Plum was on point with 20 points and A’ja Wilson finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds. The Las Vegas defense was lights out and kept the Liberty out of the paint. The Aces totally contained Sabrina Ionescu allowing only four points from the talented guard.

Game notes: Friday night, the Aces faced a win or go home situation as they beat the Liberty in game three and are now 1-2 with the win. It is a major long shot but if any team in the league is capable of not only winning Friday night but taking the series it is the Las Vegas Aces.

With unanimous MVP of the season A’Ja Wilson on board and a great supporting cast in Kelsey Plum, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young plus Tiffany Hayes off the bench who just won the WNBA 6th person of the year award this team will fight to the end.

It’s a lot of pressure and every one of these players brought their A game in this all-important daunting task. They got some solid defense and it all started with Jackie Young who is one of the strongest guards in the league.

Plum, Young and Gray are a great combo providing defense that were all clicking in game 3. The unfortunate truth is that all three were not clicking in games one and two. Of the three, Gray has struggled and has been strangely sloppy.

The Liberty have clogged the paint a favorite location of A’ja Wilson and the missed layups in games one and two had head coach Becky Hammon enraged on the sidelines. The bottom line is that Las Vegas met the Liberty five times this season and they lost all five games this was different on Friday they beat New York for the first time all season.

Sunday afternoon, the Aces will be looking for a win in game four and tying up this series. Sunday’s matchups gets underway at 2:30 ET. The Las Vegas Aces are not done yet.

Liberty Dashes Hopes of an Aces Three-Peat Winning Game Two 88-84 Taking a 2-0 Series Lead

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart drives on the Las Vegas Aces Chelsea Gray (12) in the first half of game 2 in the WNBA Playoffs at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn on Tue Oct 1, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Las Vegas Aces (0-2) fought hard in game two of their best of five series against the New York Liberty (2-0) and came so very close losing 88-84. The Liberty have an amazing defense that gave the Aces trouble all night long.

A’ja Wilson finished with 24 points but Kelsey Plum never really got on track hitting a couple of three’s for 6 points in this game. In game three the Aces will need all hands on deck if they are to make a comeback in the series. It’s a lot of pressure on the entire team but it is the only way they will have any chance at all.

The Aces took on the New York Liberty in an all-important game two. The Aces went down 0-2 and lost on New York’s home court which was not ideal heading home to Las Vegas for game three.

Game recap: The Aces got a good start leading for most of the opening ten minutes. The largest lead for Las Vegas was an eight point lead 27-19 in the final minute of the quarter. The Aces held a 27-22 lead going into the second quarter.

Two minutes into the second quarter Las Vegas was forced to take a time-out after their lead shrunk to a single point 27-26. The Liberty began to match the Aces shot for shot and three minutes into the quarter coach Becky Hammon took a second time-out very unhappy with her team’s offense.

The Aces continued missing layups and the Liberty’s defense was making things awfully difficult for Las Vegas clogging up the paint and forcing shots from outside. With under three minutes left in the half, the game was tied at 37.

The Aces were getting stops but not taking advantage of those stops. After leading briefly in the final two minutes of the half, the Aces let the Liberty take over the game. New York led after two quarters 46-40. They had outscored the Aces 24-13 in the second quarter.

Sabrina Ionescu really got into her stride in the second half of the second quarter. New York really kept the wraps on A’ja WIlson holding her to six points in the half and Kelsey Plum was also struggling with a single three point shot in the half.

The Liberty had scored 20 points on 11 Aces turnovers. In game one, the Aces missed 16 layups and you just cannot continue to do this against the best team in the league. The biggest challenge the Aces would have in the second half would be getting the ball to A’ja Wilson.

The third quarter was a close one with the Liberty outscoring the Aces by a single point 23-22. Las Vegas had one quarter left in this game to even up the series trailing 69-62. At 8:54 in the fourth quarter Las Vegas was trailing 66-69 but let it slip away a minute later as the Liberty extended their lead 74-66. With more than five minutes left in the game Las Vegas was within reach trailing by two points 72-74 forcing the Liberty to take a time-out.

With two minutes left in the game, Las Vegas continued to trail but remained within a point 78-79. With 90 seconds left on the clock this game was tied at 81. This game was going down to the wire and the Aces just couldn’t get over the top.

It came down to an Ace possession with ten seconds left on the clock trailing by two points 82-84. Chelsea Gray fouled Sabrina Ionescu, she made both free throws and that was the game 88-84. Breanna Stewart also made two free throws when fouled by Tiffany Hayes making both free throws to end the game.

The Las Vegas Aces are in deep trouble as they head back to Las Vegas trailing 0-2. While there is still that outside possibility that they can tie up the series it will be a huge mountain to climb. It will all start with game three Friday night which gets underway at 6:30 PM PT at Michelob ULTRA Arena.

Liberty Prove Too Hot to Handle In Game One of Series As Aces Fall 87-77

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

New York Liberty guard Courtney Vandersloot drives on the Las Vegas Aces forward Alysha Clark (left) in game 1 of the WNBA playoffs at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Sun Sep 29, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Las Vegas Aces (27-13) got within two points of the New York Liberty (32-8) in the second quarter but that’s as close as they would get falling in the first game of their best of five series 87-77.

A’Ja Wilson finished the game with 21 points but it was Kelsey Plum with the team high scoring 24 points. The Aces have the unenviable task of trying to contain Breanna Stewart throughout this series. Stewart finished with 34 points.

Game recap: The New York Liberty got right down to business in the opening quarter leading after the first ten minutes of play 28-21. As the clock began to wind down on the second quarter the Liberty began to push their lead out after leading by only two points at the five minute mark.

New York led by ten points 46-34 with 1:10 left in the first half going on a 9-0 run. At halftime the Liberty had maintained their ten point lead 48-38 and Las Vegas had a lot of work to do in the second half. They were missing far too many shots and they had to find a way to contain Breanna Stewart who finished the first half with 20 points.

This is the series that one would expect to see in the finals. The struggles that the Aces had in the first part of the season had a lot to do with how these matchups look today. Las Vegas is known to be a second half team and they will need to show up in this one.

Stealing a game in New York is exactly what the Aces will be looking to do. Plum succeeded in the first half making quick decisions because of the defensive pressure that the Liberty were bringing. Las Vegas had some catching up to do in the third quarter but they have the talent to do just that.

New York continued to extend their lead in the third quarter and Las Vegas continued with spotty shooting. At 7:43 the Liberty led 55-40 and New York was dictating the pace of this game continuing to pile on the points. At 5:46 they led 62-44 totally dominating the Aces.

Plum continued her intensive play verbally sparring with Spike Lee who shouted at her from the sidelines only getting her even more heated up. Play took a turn with Las Vegas going on a 12-0 run pulling to within six points after trailing by 18.

Las Vegas just did not have the defensive answer for Stewart and this was glaring throughout the game. As the third quarter came to an end the Aces had cut the Liberty’s 18 point lead in half. New York was up nine 71-62 going into the fourth quarter.

With 28 points, Stewart sat out the start of the fourth quarter with four fouls. The Liberty continued to clog up the paint and Las Vegas was struggling to be able to make those inside shots that have made them so successful.

New York was hitting from inside, from outside, making ridiculous long shots. There was no stopping them today. The Liberty took full advantage of the turnovers, missed shots and defensive ineffectiveness that the Aces brought winning the first game of the series 87-77.

Game notes: Sunday afternoon the Aces lost the first game in their best of a five game series against the Liberty in what promises to be a incredibly intense, competitive and exciting series. The reigning champions Aces could be pushed to the brink in this series if the Liberty put up a tough battle throughout.

If the Aces want to win another title, they will have to beat the best and right now the Liberty are the number one team in basketball. The New York starting roster is loaded with Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones and they are primed and have tested the Aces.

On the other hand the Aces starting roster are no pushover with the amazing A’Ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and Chelseas Gray. Las Vegas also has Alysha Clark and Tiffany Hayes who have been invaluable off the bench. This is going to be one crazy series.

While this is only the beginning, the Aces have a lot to figure out going into game two. Putting the stops on Stewart (34 points) and Ionescu (21 points) will be a tough call. When the Aces went on runs, the Liberty put a stop to it every time.

New York is hungry for their first championship and you can see it in their play. Game two is scheduled to tipoff in New York Tuesday evening the time still to be determined.

Aces advance to WNBA semifinals, beat Storm, 83-76

Published on by psushawnLeave a comment
Las Vegas Aces guard Tiffany Hayes (15) from right, Las Vegas center A’ja Wilson (22) and Seattle Storm center Mercedes Russell (21) react to a loose ball under the net during a first-round WNBA basketball playoff game on Sunday, September 22, 2024 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)

By Shawn McCullough

LAS VEGAS–The Aces won the best of three series, two games to none, over the Seattle Storm with an 83-76 victory at Michelob Ultra Arena.

“It’s never easy. That’s a team [Storm] that has multiple champions on it,” said head coach Becky Hammon. “They threw us a couple good punches, but I’m happy with how we responded.”

The Aces were led by guard Kelsey Plum with 29 points, going 11 for 15 from the field and two for six from three-point range.

“I threw everything out from game one. I started over in game two,” said Plum. “The good thing about this team is that anyone can step up at any time.”

WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson added 24 points and pulled down 13 rebounds.

“We were resilient,” said Wilson. “We know what it takes and not let the game slip from our hands.”

The Aces will next advance to the WNBA semifinals to play the New York Liberty in a 5-game playoff series starting in New York on Sunday.

“New York is a lot better than last season,” said Plum. “For us, we have to focus on what we do.”

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

The Aces shot 47.0% from the field.
Las Vegas went seven for 22 from three-point range.
The Aces outrebounded the Storm, 45-30.

Game Starters:

C – 41 Kiah Stokes
F – 0 Jackie Young
F – 22 A’ja Wilson
G – 10 Kelsey Plum
G – 12 Chelsea Gray

Aces Injury Report:

None

Las Vegas Raiders podcast with Tony Renteria: Panthers Dalton did a job on Raiders Sunday

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce adjusts his headphones as the Raiders were pounded by the Carolina Panthers for the first three quarters at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sun Sep 22, 2024 (AP News photo)

On Las Vegas Raiders podcast with Tony Renteria:

#1 The Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton was all the difference that the Panthers needed to defeat the Las Vegas Raiders last Sunday at Allegiant Stadium and it wasn’t even close at least in the early minutes of the fourth quarter with a 33-7 lead.

#2 The Panthers came in 0-2 and Dalton was the shot in the arm that Carolina was looking for throwing for 319 yards, three touchdowns, and completing all his passing except for one.

#3 Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew was 18-28 for 214 yards. The Raiders entered Sunday’s game last in the running game with the Raiders averaging just 49 yards and a total of 55 yards.

#4 The Raiders offensive coordinator Luke Getsy was getting booed because the Raiders struggled in the first three quarters of the game. What might make Getsy look bad is Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields as the Steelers are 3-0. Getsy was Fields offensive coordinator when they were on the Chicago Bears.

#5 The Raiders will kick off against the Cleveland Browns this Sunday. The Browns just got by the New York Giants for a win last Sunday. What are some of the things that you would expect from Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson?

Tony Renteria does the Raiders podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’Ja Wilson Comes Alive In Second Half As Aces Take Game One Against Seattle 78-67

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson (22) drives on the Seattle Storm’s center Mercedes Russell (21) during WNBA Playoff game 2 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Sun Sep 22, 2024 (Las Vegas Aces photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Las Vegas Aces (0-1) had a stagnant start in the opening game of their series with the Seattle Storm (1-0). The Storm had at one time led by 11 points but the Aces surged in the second quarter and blew the game wide open in the fourth quarter going on 14-2 run.

A’Ja Wilson only had four points in the first half and finished with 21 points. Kelsey Plum had an off night with only two points, but there is little doubt that she will turn that around. Tiffany Hayes was terrific off the bench with 20 points. The Aces took game one of the WNBA Playoffs defeating the Seattle Storm 78-67.

Game recap: The opening quarter did not go well for the Aces. The Storm limited them to 11% shooting. They could not buy a bucket. Seattle outscored them in the first quarter 18-9. At one time in the second quarter the Storm had an 11 point lead before the Aces began to turn the narrative.

At the half, the Storm had a 42-38 lead but Las Vegas had made this game manageable. The Storm kept A’ja Wilson completely contained. She only had four points in the first half. The Storm were also getting a lot of second chance shots with their offensive rebounding. The Aces had their work cut out for them in the second half of this game.

With 2:58 left in the third quarter Las Vegas took a 58-57 lead. This game had been tied a lot in the second half. As the clock wore down on the third quarter, the Aces had really settled into the game and would be looking for a productive fourth quarter. A’Ja Wilson had scored 15 points in the third quarter. Kelsey Plum was struggling from downtown, a shot she usually excels at going 0-6. She only had a shocking two points.

This game was going down to the wire with some excellent defensive effort from both teams. The Storms’ Jewell Loyd was having a quiet game with only six points very unlike her. With just under five minutes left in the game, the Aces showed signs of building some increased momentum, building a lead 70-65.

With no need to panic, the Aces now had a 14-2 run demonstrating a lot of patience. With 1:30 left, Las Vegas had established a 78-67 lead which would be the final. The Aces now take a 1-0 series lead into game two.

After a slow start in the first half of this game scoring only four points, A’Ja Wilson scored 15 points in the second half of the game and she had eight rebounds really coming alive in the third quarter. Tiffany Hayes was solid with 20 points and fpur rebounds off the bench.

Chelsea Gray spearheaded the comeback effort in the first half finishing with 16 points and a couple of rebounds. Jackie Young chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds. Kelsey Plum was strangely quiet with only two points scored in the game.

The Aces really put the stops on Jewell Loyd holding her to six points. The Storm’s Skylar Diggins-Smith had the high score for Seattle with 16 points and four rebounds. The Storm had it all going in the first quarter but just could not sustain their lead against the defending champions.

Game notes: It all began Sunday night for the Aces as they took on the Storm at Michelob ULTRA Arena as their quest for a three-peat got off to a good start in earnest. Three WNBA playoff games were played Sunday with the Liberty beating the Dream 83-69, the Sun really took it to the Fever 93-69 and the Lynx with a seven point win beat the Mercury 102-95.

The Aces are heavily favored but this is the playoffs and all bets are off, anything can happen. Las Vegas were challenged with the solid play of the Storm’s Jewell Loyd who scored six points in game one and Skylar Diggins-Smith led in scoring with 16 points. None of the Aces are listed on the injury list so they were at full strength and continue peaking the way they were as the regular season came to an end.

Tuesday night’s game two will again be played at Michelob ULTRA Arena. Now that the Aces have tested the waters in this year’s post-season there is little chance that they will come out in the next game the way they did Sunday night. Kelsey Plum will turn things around and A’Ja Wilson will overcome whatever the Storm throws at her. Tipoff for game two is scheduled for 6:30 PM.

Las Vegas Raiders podcast with Rich Perez: Raiders fourth quarter scoring effort too late lose to Panthers 36-22 at Allegiant

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Las Vegas Raiders running back Ameer Abdullah (8) is tackled by the Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson (54)in the first half at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sun Sep 22, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Las Vegas Raiders podcast with Rich Perez:

#1 The Las Vegas Raiders (1-2) for the most of Sunday’s game were getting trounced by the Carolina Panthers (1-2) up until early in the fourth quarter 33-7.

#2 The Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton pretty much put the game to bed early throwing for 319 yards, going 26-27 and throwing three touchdown passes.

#3 The Raiders defense just couldn’t shut down the Panthers as Carolina scored seven in the first quarter, 14 in the second quarter, six in the third quarter, and nine in the fourth quarter.

#4 The Raiders on offense came alive in the fourth quarter scoring 15 points on a 13 yard pass from quarterback Gardner Minshew who threw to Jakobi Meyers at 10:56 and quarterback Aidan O’Connell threw an eight yard pass to Tre Tucker with 56 seconds left in the game.

#5 The Raiders host the Cleveland Browns next Sun Sep 29 at Allegiant Stadium. The Browns lost their second game of the season to the New York Giants 21-15. The Browns are now 1-2. How do you see the Raiders chances against the Browns next Sunday with home field at Allegiant?

Rich Perez does the Raiders home and away podcasts after each Raiders game at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Aces Finish Off Wings In Season Finale 98-84

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Las Vegas Aces forward Bell Kierstan (1) takes a shot on the Dallas Wings guard Lou Lopez Senechal (8) at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Thu Sep 19, 2024 (Las Vegas Aces photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Las Vegas Aces played their last regular season game at Michelob ULTRA Arena taking on the Dallas Wings beating them 98-84. The Las Vegas starters got the night off and got to root their bench on and this bench did a terrific job. Every time Dallas made a move, the Aces pushed right back. Megan Gustafson was the high for the Aces with 24 points.

Game recap: After the first ten minutes of play, this final season game was tied at 30. The Aces starters did not take the floor in this final game. Alysha Clark, Megan Gustafson, Sydney Colson, Tiffany Hayes and Kate Martin started this game. Kiersten Bell did a great job off the bench, in fact, everyone on the floor tonight was doing a terrific job.

After two quarters, the Aces really turned it on. They outscored the Wings 30-15 in the second quarter and led at the half 60-45. There was some amazing play from players you don’t normally see on the floor. Getting the opportunity to play an entire game was invaluable experience for them going forward.

The third quarter was a close one for a minute but it sure did not finish that way. The Aces outscored the Wings 28-23 and after three quarters had built a 20 point lead 88-68. This was their largest lead of he game. They finished the quarter on a 7-0 run. Megan Gustafson had 23 points through three quarters and Tiffany Hayes had 21 points. The Aces were having an impressive second half of basketball.

The Aces called a timeout in the early minutes of the fourth quarter. The Wings were showing some stirrings of a rally and Las Vegas wanted to put a stop to any comeback that Dallas was seeking.

Mid-way through the quarter, the Wings had almost cut the Aces lead in half trailing 90-79. Dallas went on a 11-0 run trailing by single digits 90-81. With two minutes left in the game the Aces pushed their lead back out to 98-84. That would be the final.

The high for the Aces was Megan Gustafson with 24 points. Tiffany Hayes chipped in 21 points. She has been amazing all season. Kierstan Bell had 12 points off the bench. For the Wings, Satou Sabally had the high with 25 points.

Game notes: Thursday evening the Aces played their last regular season game at home taking on the Wings. The Aces are headed for the playoffs and Dallas unfortunately will be headed home until next season, always a tough pill to swallow. The Aces finished the season in fourth place and will be starting their playoff run on Sunday taking on the Seattle Storm in game one of the series.

The 2024 WNBA playoffs get underway this Sunday at Michelob ULTRA Arena. A’Ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces will matchup with the fifth place Jewel Lloyd and the Seattle Storm. TIp-off for this game is scheduled for 7:00 PM.