Las Vegas Aces game wrap: Aces Breeze Past Sparks 99-75

The score says it all as the Las Vegas Aces improve their record to 12-4 over the Los Angeles Sparks (6-9) on Wed Jun 30, 2021 in Los Angeles (@LVAces photo)

Aces Breeze Past Sparks 99-75

By Barbara Mason

After winning an epic battle against the Storm on Sunday in overtime the 11-4 Aces took on the 6-8 Sparks Wednesday. The Sparks have been struggling and are currently in last place in the Western Conference.

While on paper the Aces have the edge it’s not what team you are playing but how they are playing in any single game. That’s what upsets are made of. In any given game anything can happen but the Aces were coming off an incredible high after their win against the Storm on Sunday and they would be very difficult to beat.

The Aces carried that confidence into the game today against the Sparks and they proved from the get go that they would be a challenge. They had a healthy lead after one quarter outscoring the Sparks 28-19 setting the tone for this game. They had a 56-37 lead at the half and looked invincible.

The Sparks played a close third quarter but just could not outscore the Aces. Las Vegas had built such an insurmountable lead at the half that Los Angeles had little to no chance of catching them. Again the Sparks played a close fourth quarter but time had run out on Los Angeles. The final score was 99-75 elevating the Aces record to 12-4 in the Western Conference.

Jackie Young had the high score for Las Vegas with 18 points followed by A’ja Wilson with 17. Amanda Zahul had an amazing 22 points for Los Angeles but it just was not enough to get by the conference leader.

On Friday night the Aces will again meet the Sparks hoping for another win and perhaps claiming sole possession of first place. Tipoff will be at 7:00.

Aces get 14 point win over Sparks 80-74 for 5th straight win

The Las Vegas Aces Sugar Rogers (right) snuffs the Los Angeles Sparks Chelsea Gray as the Aces pick up their fifth straight game victory in the first half in Bradenton Fl on Sat Sep 12, 2020 WNBA game (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum

Sports Radio Service

Saturday, September 12, 2020

Las Vegas used its defensive strength to overtake Los Angeles 84-70 Saturday in Bradenton, Fla., clinching a top-two seeding in the WNBA West and a double-bye into the playoff semifinals.

The Aces will face the Seattle Storm at noon on Sunday. The winner gets the No. 1 seed in the West.

After the Aces’ 15-point third quarter lead was cut to four, Las Vegas allowed 10 points by the Sparks in the fourth quarter.

Angel McCoughtry led the Aces with 18 points. Her 3-pointer and three-point play helped Las Vegas rebuild its lead in the final seven minutes. Kayla McBride, who was next on the Aces scoring list, sank a 3 with 1:25 remaining to put the game away.

The Aces’ bench combined for 20 points from Dearica Hamby, Jackie Young and Danielle Robinson. Point guard Lindsay Allen and center Carolyn Swords contributed five points each.

Nneka Ogwumike led Los Angeles with 24 points, followed by Candace Parker with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Chelsea Gray had 10 points and 11 assists for the Sparks, but was held to 2 of 13 from the field.

While Ogwumnike and Parker combined for 43 points on 18 of 31 shooting, Las Vegas held the rest of the Sparks to a combined 9 of 41 shooting.

The Sparks will be the No. 3 seed, opening with a one-game second round playoff on Thursday.

The WNBA semifinals begin on Sept. 20.