Tag: Las Vegas Aces

Aces fall 95-90 to Sky in Chicago

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Photo credit: Las Vegas Aces

By Shawn McCullough

The Aces led by as many as 15 points, but got hurt by foul trouble into the second half as the Chicago Sky beat the Aces 95-90 at Wintrust Arena on Sunday night.

Dearica Hamby scored a career high 24 points to lead the Aces, while A’ja Wilson dropped 22 points with five rebounds.

The Sky dominated the boards, outrebounding the Aces 40-27, including 12 offensive rebounds.

With the loss, the Aces dropped to 1-5 on the season.

The Aces will next return home to play the Atlanta Dream on Friday, June 8th at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.  This will be the first meeting of the season between the Aces and the Dream.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Starters:
F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 12 Nia Coffey
C – 3 Kelsey Bone
G – 21 Kayla McBride
G – 15 Lindsay Allen

Aces win first game of the season; beat Mystics 85-73

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Photo credit: Shawn McCullough, Sports Radio Service

By Shawn McCullough

LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Aces won their first game in franchise history with an 85-73 victory over the Washington Mystics at the Mandalay Bay Event Center Friday night.

“This is very important that we get our first win,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer. “You want to get rid of the monkey as fast as possible in any sport. Overall, it was a very important win for us.”

It’s tough winning in this league, so for us to finally to get a win is exciting for us,” said forward A’ja Wilson. “I am glad that we got it at home so the fans can continue to come out and support us.”

Five different Aces scored in double digits including Wilson who had 26 points and 12 rebounds. Wilson went to the free throw line 18 times, making 14 shots.

“It can’t take just one or two people, it takes the team,” said Wilson.  “I’m super-duper excited to see that we are all getting the ball, everyone is kind of scoring and sharing the basketball.”

After giving up an average of 103 points in their last two games, the Aces held the Mystics to just 73 points. Prior to tonight’s game, the Mystics averaged 86.67 points per game.

“We really didn’t play defense well (the last two games) the way that we know that our system operates, so we needed to come out with a mindset and say that we weren’t going to let that happen again,” said Wilson.

With the win, the Aces improved to 1-4 on the season.

The Aces will next play the Sky in Chicago on Sunday, June 3rd.  This will be the first meeting of the season between the Aces and the Sky.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 12 Nia Coffey
C – 8 Carolyn Swords
G – 21 Kayla McBride
G – 15 Lindsay Allen

Aces’ losing streak to 4 games after 101-74 loss to Storm

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Photo credit: Seattle Storm

By Shawn McCullough

The Seattle Storm hit a WNBA record 17 3-point shots to rout the Las Vegas Aces 101-74 at KeyArena in Seattle.

A’ja Wilson scored a team-high 21 points with 3 rebounds, while Tamera Young was the only other Aces player scoring in double digits with 11 points.

The Storm went 17 for 26 from 3 point range, breaking the former NBA record for 3 pointers in a game of 16 held by five other teams. The Aces finished the night 1 for 9 from three-point range.

The Aces have now given up 100 or more points in three games this season and in back to back games (both to the Storm).

With the loss, the Aces dropped to 0-4 on the season.

The Aces will next play the Washington Mystics tonight (Friday, June 1st) at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.  The Mystics beat the Aces in Washington, 75-70, back on Tuesday, May 22nd.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Starters:
F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 12 Nia Coffey
C – 19 JiSu Park
G – 21 Kayla McBride
G – 15 Lindsay Allen

Aces drop home opener to Storm 105-98

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Photo credit: Shawn McCullough, Sports Radio Service

By Shawn McCullough

The Seattle Storm put a damper on the Aces star-studded inaugural home opener in Las Vegas with a 105-98 win at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

A’ja Wilson scored a career-high 27 points, going 9-17 from the field, along with eight rebounds.

“I really just took what the defense gave me and it just started to work.” said Wilson.  “My teammates really kept feeding me the ball and making me make plays.”

Nia Coffey also scored a career-high 23 points.

“Bill (Laimbeer) is clear and direct with what he saw in me and what he needed me to do,” said Coffey.  “During our offense, I make sure that I’m doing what I need to do.  I take advantage of the moment and take advantage of the match up to really show what I can do for this team.”

The Aces were able to claw back into the game after being down by 19 points early in the third quarter, but they were unable to overcome 18 turnovers.

“Turnovers have been a bugaboo so far this season,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer.  “There were 18 tonight, that’s too many especially in a tight game. We are going to have our growing pains with some young players, but we have to get those (turnovers) down.”

The first regular season game in Las Vegas for the Aces featured a list of celebrity appearances, including Boyz II Men singing the national anthem, Jabbawockeez performing a halftime show, the cast of Michael Jackson ONE greeting fans entering the arena and Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis attending the game.

With the loss, the Aces (formerly the San Antonio Stars) dropped to 0-3 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 next play the Storm in Seattle on Thursday, May 31st before heading back home to face the Washington Mystics on Friday, June 1st at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

  • 7,662 fans attended the Aces first regular season game in Las Vegas
  • The Aces introduced their new mascot named Bucket$, a fuzzy bunny rabbit

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 12 Nia Coffey
C – 8 Carolyn Swords
G – 21 Kayla McBride
G – 15 Lindsay Allen

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