Tag: WNBA
Aces’ losing streak to 4 games after 101-74 loss to Storm
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
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
Photo Gallery: Las Vegas Aces vs. Seattle Storm
Aces start the season with 101-65 loss to Connecticut
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
Aces win first ever game in Las Vegas 98-63
Photo credit: Shawn McCullough, Sports Radio Service
By Shawn McCullough
The WNBA made its debut in Las Vegas as the first year Aces defeated the Chinese National Team 98-63 in preseason play at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Sunday.
The first overall pick in the 2018 WNBA draft, A’ja Wilson, led the Ace in scoring with 20 points and added seven rebounds while Nia Coffey added 15 points.
“I was nervous,” Wilson said of her first professional game. “But once I got out there and I kind of saw my teammates getting hyped, it kind of really helped me out in that situation.”
“We know she’s going to do well,” said guard and Las Vegas native Sequoia Holmes of Wilson. “I personally think that she is going to be better as a pro than as a college player because teams are not going to be able to sit in the paint or double her”
The Aces trailed 28-27 with 5:55 left in the second quarter, but went on a 20-3 run to break open the game.
“It was because of our defensive pressure,” head coach Bill Laimbeer said of the 20-3 run. “We started running some fresh legs and really got after their guards. We want to be a much better team than San Antonio was last year and they really got after it and got some turnovers.”
Before coming to the Aces, Laimbeer coached the New York Liberty from 2013 to 2017 and the Detroit Shock from 2002 to 2009.
Prior to relocating to Las Vegas this season, the Aces were the San Antonio Stars from 2002 to 2017. The team struggled the last three seasons with a combined 23-79 record.
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 Notes: The Chinese National Team will also play a preseason game against the Los Angeles Sparks on May 12th.
2,091 fans were in attendance, despite the Vegas Golden Knights playing Game 6 of the NHL Playoffs against the Sharks in San Jose at the same time.
Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval was in attendance, sporting a UNLV shirt.
Game Starters:
C – 22 A’j Wilson
F – 1 Tamera Young
F – 3 Kelsey Bone
G – 12 Nia Coffey
G – 51 Sydney Colson
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