Tag: WNBA

By Shawn McCullough

The Aces took care of business for a second straight game against the Indiana Fever with a 101-78 win at Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay.

“We are making great progress offensively,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer. “We are going to score points, but the question is can we stop someone on defense consistently.”

Liz Cambage dropped a double-double, scoring 13 points and pulling down 13 rebounds, while also blocking five shots.

“All I am focused on is rebounding and blocking shots,” said Cambage.

Dearica Hamby led the Aces with 22 points, while A’ja Wilson added 15.

“I was able to run,” said Hamby. “That gets me going and I think that gets the whole team going.”

With the win, the Aces improved to 3-0 against teams below .500.

“Indiana is a young team and they are trying to find their way,” said Laimbeer. “You need to win your home games and we took care of business.”

The Aces improved to 5-2 on the season heading into their next game on Tuesday in Connecticut against the Sun.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

• The Aces shot 56.7% from the field, while holding Indiana to 38.8%.
• Las Vegas has now won three straight games.
• Destiny Slocum returned to the lineup from concussion protocol.

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 3 Riquna Williams
C – 8 Liz Cambage
G – 0 Jackie Young
G – 12 Chelsea Gray

Aces Injury Report:

Angel McCoughtry—Out, right ACL
Kelsey Plum—Out, USA Basketball 3×3

The Aces came out firing on all cylinders in a 113-77 blowout of the Indiana Fever at Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay.

“I thought we were efficient across the board, offensively and defensively,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer. “When we shoot 55%, we will be hard to beat.”

When the Aces signed three-time WNBA All-Star Chelsea Gray back in February, they knew that they were getting a forward who could take over a game.

Gray had a double-double, scoring 19 points and dishing out 12 assists.

“I think Chelsea is showing why we got her and she is fun to watch,” said Laimbeer.

“It feels good when we are flowing,” said Gray. “Our execution was pretty good tonight.”

The 2020 WNBA MVP, A’ja Wilson, dropped 23 points, while Dearica Hamby came off the bench to lead the team with 25.

“We have a target on our back and at the end of the day we need to focus on us, but yea, it was a good win,” said Wilson.

The Aces have now won two straight games and improved to 4-2 on the season heading into their next game on Sunday at home in a re-match against the Fever.

“They [Indiana] will make some adjustments and it will be a dogfight in our next game,” said Laimbeer. “It’s going to be a completely different game come Sunday.”

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

• The Aces shot 55.1% from the field, while holding Indiana to 39.4%.
• The Fever’s only lead of the game was at 2-0 in the first quarter.
• The Aces only had eight players dressed for the game.

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 3 Riquna Williams
C – 8 Liz Cambage
G – 0 Jackie Young
G – 12 Chelsea Gray

Aces Injury Report:

Angel McCoughtry—Out, right ACL
Kelsey Plum—Out, USA Basketball 3×3
Destiny Slocum—Out, concussion protocols

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By Shawn McCullough

The Aces bounced backed from a home loss to Los Angeles with an 85-79 win over the Mercury in Phoenix.

“Overall, it was a very solid team effort,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer. “A good win all the way around.”

Guard Jackie Young had a career high 27 points, going 10 for 15 from the field.

“I am glad that Jackie had a good day,” said Laimbeer. “She came back today with a vengeance with a career high for her.”

“She is consistent and she is getting better and better every game,” said forward A’ja Wilson about Young.

Wilson added 16 points along with nine rebounds, while Chelsea Gray scored 15.

“We just executed,” said Wilson. “We understood that this would be a dogfight.”

With the win, the Aces improved to 3-2 on the season heading into their next game on Friday at home against the Indiana Fever.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

• The Aces shot 44% from the field.
• Las Vegas pulled down 11 offensive rebounds.
• The Aces got only eight points off the bench.

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 3 Riquna Williams
C – 8 Liz Cambage
G – 0 Jackie Young
G – 12 Chelsea Gray

By Shawn McCullough

After a strong performance on Friday against Los Angeles, the Aces came out flat and lost to the Connecticut Sun, 72-65, at Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay.

“We had players that didn’t get on track,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer.  “Our energy level just wasn’t there.”

“We lacked energy and some lacked effort too,” said A’ja Wilson.

The Aces shot just 21.4% from the field in the first quarter, scoring just eight points. 

Las Vegas also wasn’t able to take care of the ball, committing 14 turnovers.

“Some of our turnovers, they were just throwing the ball away,” said Laimbeer.

A’ja Wilson led the Aces with 14 points, while Chelsea Gray added 13.

“I’m human, I am going to miss shots,” said Wilson after shooting 4 for 13 from the field. “I just need to produce in other ways.”

With the loss, the Aces fell to 2-2 on the season and will next play the Mercury in Phoenix on Wednesday, before returning back home on Friday to face the Indiana Fever.


Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

• The Aces shot just 40.7% from the field.
• Las Vegas was out-rebounded by the Sun, 44-26.
• Forward Jackie Young was just 2 for 9 from the field for four points.

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 3 Riquna Williams
C – 8 Liz Cambage
G – 0 Jackie Young
G – 12 Chelsea Gray

By Shawn McCullough

The Aces played their first game of the season in Las Vegas, beating the Los Angeles Sparks 97-69 at Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay.

Las Vegas got balance scoring from its starting lineup with five players in double digits, led by former Sparks guard Chelsea Gray with 18 points.

“Once we got on a court, it’s team against team,” said Gray.  “As a competitor, you want to win against the team that you left.”

Center Liz Cambage record a double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, while A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young and Dearica Hamby each added 17 points.

“That’s who we are,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer on the team’s balance scoring. “We have so many weapons offensively.   You can’t set your defense for any one player.”

In her third season in the WNBA, Jackie Young continues to improve her game.

“I am just trying to do whatever I can to help my team win,” said Young.

In the first three games of the season, A’ja Wilson is averaging 19.7 points per game.

“Three games in, I am please of where we are so far, but we still have a long ways to go,” said Wilson.

With the win, the Aces improved to 2-1 on the season heading into their next game on Sunday against the Connecticut Sun at Mandalay Bay.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

• The Aces shot 53.2% from the field, while holding Los Angeles to just 36.5%.
• Las Vegas out-rebounded the Sparks 44-28.
• Guard Kelsey Plum missed her first of likely six games while away playing for USA Basketball’s 3 on 3 team.

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 3 Riquna Williams
C – 8 Liz Cambage
G – 0 Jackie Young
G – 12 Chelsea Gray

By Shawn McCullough

The Las Vegas Aces got their first win of the 2021 season in a 96-80 win over the Storm in Seattle.

The Aces fell in the season opener against the Storm on Saturday, but came out much more focused in the second game.

“Every game, the last thing that I put on the board is ‘have fun’,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer.   “The last game wasn’t fun for us, but today it was clear that they came from the start and was engaged mentally.”

Jackie Young led the Aces with 21 points and 10 rebounds, with both A’ja Wilson and Liz Cambage adding 18.

“I really just tried to go out there and be aggressive,” said Young.  “I am just trying to go out there and help my team win.”

“Jackie [Young] just showed a little glimpse of what she can do,” said forward Riquna Williams.  “It is just the beginning.”

The Aces starters accounted for 78 of the 96 total points with only 18 points coming off the bench.

With the win, the Aces improved to 1-1 on the season heading into their next game on Friday at home in Las Vegas against the Los Angeles Sparks.

“It will be good to see some people who I spent some great years there with,” said Chelsea Gray on facing her former team on Friday.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

• The Aces shot 53.6% from the field and went 6 for 15 from three-point range.
• A’ja Wilson, Liz Cambage and Jackie Young combined for 29 rebounds.
• The Aces snapped a four game losing streak to the Storm.

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 3 Riquna Williams
C – 8 Liz Cambage
G – 0 Jackie Young
G – 12 Chelsea Gray

By Shawn McCullough

The new look Las Vegas Aces lost their season opener to the defending WNBA champion Seattle Storm, 97-83, in Seattle, WA.

“It was a good first game for us to get our feet wet, but this is one that we know is a learning experience,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer.

The Aces had just one starter, A’ja Wilson, who was in the starting lineup last season. 

“We have been playing with each other for maybe a week,” said Wilson.  “It’s just team chemistry.  We need to come together.”

Wilson finished the game with 24 points and five rebounds.

After sitting out the 2020 season, center Liz Cambage returned to the Aces and added 16 points.

“I had a lot of jitters tonight and I came out a bit nervous,” said Cambage.  “I want to do my best for this team.”

Former Los Angeles guard Chelsea Gray made her Aces debut, scoring seven points.

Guard Jackie Young moved into a starting role this season going 6 for 15 from the field for 12 points.

With the loss to Seattle, the Aces have now lost four straight games to the Storm dating back to last season’s WNBA Finals.

Las Vegas will next have a rematch with the Storm in Seattle on Tuesday night.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

• The Aces shot 43.8% from the field and went 3 for 12 from three point range.
• Las Vegas turned the ball over just six times.
• The Aces scored just 14 points in the second quarter.

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 3 Riquna Williams
C – 8 Liz Cambage
G – 0 Jackie Young
G – 12 Chelsea Gray

The Aces storybook 2020 season came to an end as the Seattle Storm beat Las Vegas, 92-59, at the IMG Bubble in Bradenton, FL.

“It was very obvious that they have more weapons than we do,” said Laimbeer. “It was clear that they were the better team in this series.”

The Storm swept the Aces in three games in the best of five series for the WNBA championship.

“It hurts right now for our players,” said Laimbeer. “I have been down this road numerous times, winning and losing in the Finals, but they beat us.”

WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson led the Aces with 18 points and six rebounds while guard Jackie Young added 11.

“Seattle is a championship team,” said Wilson. “It hurts, but you learn and you grow from it.”

The Aces played the entire season without center Liz Cambage and guard Kelsey Plum.  Cambage opted out for the season and Plum went down with an Achilles injury.  In addition, the Aces lost forward Dearica Hamby for the Finals with a knee injury.

“We have a very sound nucleus of eight or nine players that are very solid,” said Laimbeer. “We have a solid future right now.”

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

• The Aces shot just 34.4% from the field.
• Las Vegas turned the ball over 18 times.
• Forward Angel McCoughtry is now 0-12 in WNBA Finals games.
• Seattle forward Breanna Stewart was named the Finals MVP.

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 35 Angel McCoughtry
C – 4 Carolyn Swords
G – 21 Kayla McBride
G – 3 Danielle Robinson