Tag: Aces

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

By Shawn McCullough

The Aces fell to 2.5 games back of third place Minnesota in a 98-87 loss to the Lynx at Michelob Ultra Arena.

“Some of our big studs were not grinding tonight,” said head coach Becky Hammon. “We made so many mistakes and it was my big dogs.”

Guard Jackie Young led the Aces with 26 points, going six for eight from three-point range.

“I think we just have to do a better job executing the game plan and not making as many mistakes,” said Young.

Kelsey Plum scored 20 points, while A’ja Wilson added 15 points and nine rebounds.

“They shot 60% from the field and they made us pay,” said Plum. “They were better than us tonight.”

The WNBA is coming off a break for the 2024 Olympics, but six Aces players traveled, played in France and didn’t have any time off.

“There is a point in the season where it becomes mental,” said Plum. “Obviously people have had a month off, but six of us haven’t.”

With the loss, Las Vegas fell to 17-10 on the season.

The Aces will head out on a three-game road trip starting in Minnesota on Friday against the same Lynx team.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

The Lynx shot 59.4% from the field.
Las Vegas went 13 for 30 from three-point range.
The Aces were outrebounded by the Lynx, 31-28.

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

By Shawn McCullough

LAS VEGAS–The Aces bounced back from a tough loss in Los Angeles on Friday with a 104-85 win over the Dallas Wings at Michelob Ultra Arena.

“That’s [Dallas] a good offensive team,” said head coach Becky Hammon. “It was just about taking care of us.  We are just trying to win basketball games.”

The Aces were led by A’ja Wilson with a double-double, scoring 28 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.

“Coming off that loss in L.A., it hurt,” said Wilson. “To bounce back and to have games like this, you need that ‘pick me up’.”

Wilson became the leader in most points in franchise history, surpassing Sophia Young-Malcolm at 4,300 points.

“It means a lot and it’s very special,” said Wilson. “To get it at home is truly special.”

“It’s a pleasure to be around her,” said Hammon of Wilson. “She is the best basketball player in the world along with being the best person in the world.”

Kelsey Plum dropped 23 points, going three for nine from three-point range, while Jackie Young added 18.

With the win, Las Vegas improved to 13-7 on the season.

The Aces will head out on a three-game road trip starting in Seattle on Wednesday against the Storm.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

The Aces shot 45.7% from the field.
Las Vegas went 14 for 36 from three-point range.
The Aces outrebounded the Wings, 40-37.

Game Starters:

C – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 7 Alysha Clark
F – 12 Chelsea Gray
G – 10 Kelsey Plum
G – 0 Jackie Young

Aces Injury Report:

None

By Shawn McCullough

LAS VEGAS–The Aces continue to roll, winning their sixth straight game with a 98-77 win over the Washington Mystics at Michelob Ultra Arena.

Las Vegas was led by guard Kelsey Plum, who dropped 29 points, shooting 10 from 13 from the field.

Plum hit six of nine shots from beyond the arc.

Guard Jackie Young registered a double-double, scoring 20 points while dishing out 10 assists, while A’ja Wilson added 18.

The Aces used their entire bench, with 11 players logging at least seven minutes played.

With the win, Las Vegas improved to 12-6 on the season and sits 5^th overall in the WNBA standings.

The Aces will next play in Los Angeles tomorrow against the Sparks.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

The Aces shot a whopping 59.4% from the field.
Las Vegas went 11 for 23 from three-point range.
The Aces outrebounded the Mystics, 36-28.

Game Starters:

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

Aces Injury Report:

None

By Shawn McCullough

LAS VEGAS–The Aces bounced back from a tough home loss to the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday to beat the Indiana Fever, 99-80, at Michelob Ultra Arena.

“We wanted it tonight,” said A’ja Wilson. “We actually played defense and got it done.”

Wilson led the Aces with 29 points and 15 rebounds.

“I am starting to read the defense better,” said Wilson. “I just try to get to my spots and dissect the game a little more.”

Guard Jackie Young scored 22 points, while Kelsey Plum added 20.

Rookie Fever guard Caitlin Clark scored eight points, pulled down five rebounds and added seven assists.

Clark played with Aces guard Kate Martin in college at Iowa.

“She was my teammate, but also one of my best friends,” said Clark. “She was with me for all of my four years at Iowa.”

Martin came off the bench to score 12 points and pull down seven rebounds.

“It’s just really cool,”, said Martin. “We are both living out our dreams and it’s great to experience that with your best friend.”

With the win, Las Vegas improved to 3-1 on the season.

The Aces will next play in Minnesota on Wednesday against the Lynx.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

The Aces shot just 47.9% from the field, while Indiana shot 42.9%.
Las Vegas went 13 for 35 from three-point range.
Each team equally pulled down 36 rebounds.

Game Starters:

C – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 41 Kiah Stokes
F – 7 Alysha Clark
G – 10 Kelsey Plum
G – 0 Jackie Young

Aces Injury Report:

Chelsea Gray, Out, Lower Left Leg
Kierstan Bell, Out, Lower Right Leg

By Shawn McCullough

The Aces lost their first game of the season in a 98-88 defeat to the Phoenix Mercury at Michelob Ultra Arena.

“They came in and punched us in the mouth”, said Aces head coach Becky Hammon. “We didn’t deserve to win the game”.

The Mercury got 37 points from forward Kahleah Cooper, while Sug Sutton added 12 points off the bench.

“I’m really happy how some of our bench players played”, said Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts. “We have nine players and we are going to play them every night”.

Guard Kelsey Plum led the Aces with 27 points, going seven for 14 from three-point range, while guard Jackie Young added 23 points.

A’ja Wilson scored 21 points and pulled down 13 rebounds.

“We were not good defensively”, said Wilson. “This was a good test for us, because we are not there defensively”.

Guard Chelsea Gray remained out with a lower left leg injury, while guard Kierstan Bell was also out with a lower right leg injury.

With the loss, Las Vegas fell to 2-1 on the season.

The Aces will next play at home on Saturday against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

The Aces shot just 42.3% from the field, while Phoenix shot 47.4%.
Las Vegas went 11 for 31 from three-point range.
Each team equally pulled down 39 rebounds.

Game Starters:

C – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 41 Kiah Stokes
F – 7 Alysha Clark
G – 10 Kelsey Plum
G – 0 Jackie Young

Aces Injury Report:

Chelsea Gray, Out, Lower Left Leg
Kierstan Bell, Out, Lower Right Leg

By Shawn McCullough

The Aces got back on the winning track with an 84-75 win over the Washington Mystics at Michelob Ultra Arena.

“We got tired of losing,” said forward A’ja Wilson. “It feels like we have lost 30 in a row.”

Wilson led the Aces with 26 points and 10 rebounds.

“My teammates just found me in spots,” said Wilson. “I was just going with the flow and my teammates helped me.”

Chelsea Gray scored 21 points, while guard Kelsey Plum registered a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

“She [Plum] has multiple ways to impact the game,” said head coach Becky Hammon. “She was just dicing people and had all the right reads tonight.”

The Aces recently have struggled, losing three of their last five games.

“Us going through this roller coaster of games and weathering the storm, helps us to get ready for playoffs,” said Wilson.

With the win, the Aces improved to 31-6 on the season heading into their next game at home on Saturday against the Seattle Storm.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

The Aces shot 46.8% from the field.
Las Vegas went 10 for 28 from three-point range.
The Mystics out-rebounded the Aces, 37-33.

Game Starters:

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

Aces Injury Report:

Candace Parker, Out – Foot

By Shawn McCullough

The Aces dropped their second straight game in a 94-85 loss to the Liberty in New York.

“Defense is a huge difference when the shots are not falling on the offensive end,” said forward A’ja Wilson. “In every loss, it seems to be one quarter that bites us.”

That quarter was the second quarter when the Liberty outscored the Aces, 25-16.

“I felt we made a lot of mistakes defensively in the second quarter,” said head coach Becky Hammon.

Las Vegas got 24 points from guard Jackie Young, while Wilson added 23 points and eight rebounds.

“We have been in a shooting slump for the last few games, but we have to rely more on our defense,” said Wilson.

The Aces and the Liberty are now tied, 2-2, in the regular season series, which has turned into a big rivalry this season.

“This is when you shine the brightest,” said Wilson on the rivalry. “For us to be part of a rivalry, we take that into perspective and we try to shine the brightest.”

With the loss, the Aces fell to 30-6 on the season heading into their next game at home on Thursday against the Washington Mystics.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

The Aces shot 44.9% from the field.
Las Vegas went 9 for 23 from three-point range.
The Liberty’s biggest lead in the game was 19 points.

Game Starters:

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

Aces Injury Report:

Candace Parker, Out – Foot