Tag: WNBA

Aces Back On Winning Track Getting Past Dream 83-72

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Las Vegas Aces guard Tiffany Hayes (15) drives on the Atlanta Dream at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Fri Aug 30. 2024 (Las Vegas Aces photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Atlanta Dream got close numerous times throughout the game but the Las Vegas Aces hung tight winning the game 83-72. A’Ja Wilson had another stellar game with 15 rebounds and 26 points. Tiffany Hayes also had a terrific game with 10 rebounds and 20 points. Kelsey Plum chipped in 16 points.

Game recap: The Aces won both the first and the second quarters of this game. They led after the first ten minutes of play 22-18. The Dream played a very competitive second quarter although the Aces did win it 22-20.

Las Vegas led at halftime 44-38 and going into the second half of play this game was hardly decided. The Aces have in the past really turned it on in the second half, especially the fourth quarter although it did not go their way in their last game against the Wings. They were looking to close out this game in the second half.

Atlanta continued to fight hard in the third quarter and got as close as four points in the early minutes of the quarter. The Dream kept challenging throughout the quarter but the Aces stubbornly hung onto the lead and after three quarters had a 65-58 lead. A’Ja Wilson already had a double double with 13 rebounds and 20 points.

At 6:34 in the fourth quarter, the Aces had established a 73-64 lead. Atlanta called a time out when Las Vegas began to extend their lead and showed no signs of letting down. The Dream had a lot of work to do with little time left in the game. With 2:11 left in the game, the Aces were distancing themselves from the Dream leading 79-67. Las Vegas closed out this game winning by the score of 83-72.

The high for the Dream was Allisha Gray who finished with nine rebounds and 17 points. They had three players in double digits but they could not match A’Ja Wilson and company.

Game notes: After a disappointing loss to the Dallas Wings Tuesday night in a tight game 93-90, the Las Vegas Aces were looking to bounce back Friday night against the Dream. The Aces are currently fighting to move up in the standings; they are in fifth place right now. They are a half game behind the fourth place Seattle Storm. The Storm were defeated by the New York Liberty Friday night 98-85 allowing to the Aces to move within a half game on the Storm.

Sunday the Aces will take on the Mercury in Phoenix. The Mercury will be a tough game for the Aces. They come in with a 16-16 record and could really cause some problems for the Aces. The Aces are still not playing their best ball yet although they did play a better game Friday night. Tipoff for the game is scheduled for 1:00 PM.

Aces Shocked By Dallas Losing 93-90; Vegas suffers fourth loss in last five games

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The Las Vegas Aces and Dallas Wings tip off at College Park Center in Arlington TX on Tue Aug 27, 2024 in WNBA action (Las Vegas Aces X photo)

By Barbara Mason

This game came as a real shocker for the Las Vegas Aces as they fell to the Dallas Wings Tuesday night 93-90. The Aces got on top early 25-18 in the first quarter but fell flat in the fourth quarter as Dallas won that quarter 32-21.

A’Ja Wilson was on fire scoring 42 points and so it is a real conundrum. Jackie Young finished with 17 and Chelsea Gray with 15. There were 11 ties in this game and so it came down to rebounding and Dallas came out the winner in that department out-rebounding the Aces 40-26.

The Las Vegas Aces (18-12) have been a bit off since the season got back underway since the Olympics. They have lost four of their last five games. Tuesday night they took on the (8-22) Dallas Wings who were looking to get back to the excellence that they were playing with prior to going overseas. There are so many teams that are peaking right now with the Liberty, the Sun and the Lynx all securing playoff positions.

The Lynx are playing crazy good basketball right now. The Aces can ill afford to lose any more winnable games. They have to turn things around and they have to do it right now and the four out of the last five loses is cause for concern.

Game recap: Las Vegas got off to a great start in the opening quarter leading 25-18 and although they did lose the second quarter 17-19 they did take a five point lead into the locker room at the half 42-37. They have been a great second half team especially in the fourth quarter.

They did come out on top in the third quarter 27-24 and went into the fourth quarter leading by eight points 69-61. This is the quarter when this team usually comes out guns a blazing but not this time. They finished this game with a whimper losing 93-90 in a real shocker. They have now lost 4 of their last six games. With the season starting to wind down they have to fight for every game going forward.

A’Ja Wilson continues to play some amazing ball scoring 42 in this game. She is ranked 1st in points, 2nd in rebounds, 1st in defensive rebounds, 1st in blocks, and 3rd in steals. This was her third 40 point game of her career.

Despite her performance, the team was unable to pull this game out. The Aces played pretty evenly with Dallas when it came down to field goals, three point plays and they only had eight turnovers.

They came up horribly short in rebounding. The Wings had 40 and the Aces only 26; quite a disparity. With Wilson going off the way she did it’s hard to believe that the team came away with a loss. Late fouls and far too many misses sealed the Las Vegas’ fate.

Dallas got some great play from scoring leader Satou Sabally with 28 points and Natasha Howard added 24 points in the winning effort.

Friday night the Las Vegas Aces will play another winnable game as they take on the Atlanta Dream. They will be back home at Michelob ULTRA Arena for this game with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Aces Get Outplayed by Minnesota Lynx In Second Half Losing 87-74

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Las Vegas Aces forward Alysha Clark (7) looks to pass the ball against the Minnesota Lynx at the Target Center in Minneapolis on Fri Aug 23, 2024 (Las Vegas Aces.com photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Las Vegas Aces (17-11) were tied with the Minnesota Lynx (21-8) after the first quarter and trailed by a single point at the half 40-39 but were outplayed by Minnesota in the second half. They got within four points in the fourth quarter but the Lynx refused to back down continuing to hit shots from downtown. It was raining three’s for the Lynx and Nephessa Collier set a career high 18 rebounds. They proved to hot to handle for the Aces as the Lynx went on to win the game 87-74.

Game recap: After the first ten minutes of play this game was tied at 18 apiece. The Lynx rallied in the second quarter taking a 31-24 lead on the strength of their shooting ability from downtown.

They really have a talent for spreading the floor forcing the Aces to leave opponents open to shoot those long balls that are so successful for Minnesota. As the second quarter began to wind down, the Aces had taken a 35-31 lead.

Minnesota took back the lead and at the half the score was 40-39; and Nephessa Collier had her 14th double double with ten rebounds and 15 points. She was the only player from either team in double digits.

The Aces were still waiting on Jackie Young to get going after a huge game last Wednesday night in which she scored 26 points. Las Vegas would need a huge game from all of their starters if they hoped to pull this game out.

Minnesota wasted no time in the third quarter pulling a 46-41 lead early and they did not stop there. They were completely dominating the quarter taking a 62-45 lead with two minutes left in the third. Minnesota’s Nephessa Collier continued to dominate going 9 of 11 from the floor and the Aces could not stop her.

Collier already had 16 rebounds while the Aces only had 13 collectively. Las Vegas was losing on both ends of the ball. As the third quarter came to an end, the Aces were trailing by eleven points 65-54, after having trailed by as much as 17 points.

Las Vegas had a huge mountain to climb going into the fourth quarter. They have already fallen into 5th place in the league standings and they don’t want to lose more ground with a loss Friday night.

Minnesota had outscored the Aces in the third quarter 25-15. Las Vegas was making some uncharacteristic mistakes born of the frustration that they were all feeling. The Aces continued to fight playing some very physical and aggressive basketball only trailing by five points 67-62 with a lot of time still left on the clock.

With over six minutes left in the game a door had opened for Las Vegas. The Aces continued to leave wide open shots from downtown for the Lynx and watched their four point deficit grow.

Mid-way through the final quarter Minnesota had hit eight shots from downtown and the Lynx had pushed back their lead to nine points 76-67 after Las Vegas had pulled to within four points. With 3:45 left in the game, the Aces were running out of time. The Aces could not handle the offensive onslaught of the Lynx as they continued to dominate losing to Minnesota 87-74.

A’Ja Wilson was the high for the Aces with 24 points but she could not will her team to a win. Jackie Young did have double digits with 12 points but her team needed a whole lot more. Kelsey Plum had 11 but again it was just not enough. Right now it really looks like Minnesota is the team to beat this season.

Game notes: Wednesday night the Las Vegas Aces (17-11) lost to the Minnesota Lynx (21-8) in game one of their back to back games. Friday night, the Aces were looking for a little payback again taking on Minnesota. The only problem is that Las Vegas lost at home and tonight they were playing in Minnesota. It was very tough play calling as the Lynx and their fans base at Target Center were quite vocal.

The Aces will play another road game on Sunday taking on the Chicago Sky. The Sky come into this game after a tough two point loss to the Connecticut Sun 82-80 Friday night. Las Vegas will be looking to get back on the winning track after dropping their last two games.

Aces can’t gain on third place Minnesota, lose to Lynx 98-87

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Aces guard Jackie Young (0) during pre-game of a WNBA basketball game on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Sports Radio Service/Shawn McCullough)

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

Las Vegas Aces Return to Form Beating Los Angeles Sparks 87-71

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The Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby (50) gets her shot blocked by the Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Sun Aug 18, 2024 (photo by Las Vegas Aces)

By Barbara Mason

The Las Vegas Aces (17-9) struggled through the first quarter against the Los Angeles Sparks (6-21) but began to turn it all around in the second quarter. It was full speed ahead as the fourth quarter wore on as A’Ja Wilson and the Aces put the hurt on the Sparks. Wilson celebrated another double double finishing with 13 rebounds and 34 points.

Game recap: Her focus was to slow down the Sparks and she was more than convincing getting stop after stop. They had really turned yesterday’s loss around playing some solid ball in today’s game particularly on the defensive side of the ball.

Las Vegas just could not get on top of this game in the first quarter and the game was tied after the first ten minutes of play at 21. The Aces started to turn it around in the second quarter taking a 44-37 lead at halftime winning the second 23-16.

Las Vegas has been typically a second half team and they did win the third quarter 20-16 extending their lead 64-52. They had really turned this game around with discipline and tenacity something they had been lacking against New York Saturday.

The Aces were dominating from beyond the arc and A’Ja Wilson kept this game in hand in the paint making her presence known throughout the game and with less than six minutes left in the game had yet another double double with 11 rebounds and 27 points.

She was all over the court keeping this game in check. The fourth quarter saw Las Vegas take a stranglehold on the game and while the Sparks continued to fight, the Aces refused to let their foot off the pedal. Any move that Los Angeles made was answered by Las Vegas throughout the fourth quarter and with less than three minutes left in the game the Aces had an 82-68 lead. The final was 87-71.

It was a frustrating loss for the Sparks who managed the game fairly well in the first half but came apart in the second particularly in the final minutes of the game. Las Vegas surged in those final minutes and there was no stopping them. A’Ja Wilson finished with 13 rebounds and 34 points. Kelsey Plum had 18 points and Jackie Young had an improved game with ten points although we have seen a lot more from her and that is yet to come.

Game notes: After a loss Saturday to the Liberty, a pretty convincing Liberty win 79-67, the Aces turned around and beat the Sparks at Michelob ULTRA Arena Sunday afternoon. The Aces got back into the form that they had just prior to heading over to Paris for the Olympics. Saturday’s loss was tough, the team was just out of sync. The Aces had a slow start to the season but had really turned it on after the first few weeks of the season really amping it up playing some impressive basketball.

Wednesday evening the Aces will have their hands full with back to back games against the Minnesota Lynx the first game in Las Vegas and the second game Friday night in Minnesota. Las Vegas winning those games could shake up the standings at bit although there is still a lot of basketball still to be played.

This will be a challenging assignment for the Aces and they will need all hands on deck. There is no doubt they have the talent to pull this off. It all begins this Wednesday evening as the series gets underway with tipoff scheduled for 6:30 PM. This game will air on ESPN.

Aces Fall to WNBA Number One New York Liberty 79-67

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The Las Vegas Aces Guard Jackie Young (0) takes the ball down the floor against the New York Liberty’s guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Sat Aug 17, 2024 (photo by the Las Vegas Aces)

By Barbara Mason

The Las Vegas Aces (16-9) took on the New York Liberty (23-4), returning for their first league game since the Paris Olympics. They had a great start but they could not sustain that momentum. The Liberty went on to win the next three quarters after dropping the opening quarter 28-24. A’Ja Wilson had another terrific game with a double double finishing with 24 points and 11 rebounds but it was just not enough to get past New York losing 79-67 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.

Game recap: Las Vegas got a nice start winning the opening quarter and leading 28-24 after the first ten minutes. The Liberty came roaring back punishing the Aces 18-8 in the second quarter taking a 42-36 lead into the locker room at the half.

The Aces struggled with far too many turnovers in the first half committing six in the second quarter alone and they really fell short rebounding. The Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu went on a crazy run which accounted for the success that the Liberty had not only in the second quarter but in the remainder of the game.. The Aces had some work to do in the second half.

Las Vegas got close in the third quarter trailing by as little as two points but were never able to take the lead. After three quarters, the Aces still trailed 59-51 as the Liberty continued to flex their muscle. Las Vegas needed the physicality and tenacity that they had in the first quarter if there was any chance to win this game. Las Vegas has been a fourth quarter team this season and they were hoping to continue on this path in the final quarter.

Jackie Young had a quiet first half and the team would really need her in the fourth quarter. She only scored two points in the first half of play. In the early minutes of the final quarter, the Liberty had established a ten-point lead 62-52.

The Aces challenged a play in the fourth quarter but it did not go Las Vegas’ way and head coach Becky Hammond was not happy with the result and also not happy with the way the team was playing.

The Aces were just not knocking down shots in the first four minutes of the quarter but they had no choice but to take as many shots as possible. At 6:23 the Aces started to make a push pulling to within four points 67-63.

Mid-way through the quarter Las Vegas began to struggle making shots, not taking advantage of a lot of opportunities and falling behind by a significant margin 75-63. With under five minutes left in the game the Liberty had taken their largest lead so far and Las Vegas was running out of time. The final was 79-67 in favor of the Liberty.

A’Ja Wilson had a double double with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray each had 13 points and Gray also turned in six rebounds. Jackie Young had a rough game only scoring four points; two points in the first half and two in the second. The Aces really cleaned up the turnovers with none in the second half.

Game notes: Saturday afternoon, the Aces got down to business after an amazing showing in the Paris Olympics. They took on the Liberty at Michelob ULTRA Arena as play got back underway in the 2024 season which is rapidly winding down.

The teams will now fight for the eight places in the playoffs. Olympic teammates will return to their respective teams as play has already gotten underway the first games played last Thursday. The Las Vegas Aces dropped to fifth place in the WNBA, and dropped into third place in the Western Conference after Saturday’s loss. The Liberty right now are sitting on top of the League with a 23 and 4 record. This game was expected to be a real dogfight between two of the best teams in the WNBA but the Liberty just laid into the Aces coming away with a 12 point win.

Sunday, the Aces will be back on the court in Las Vegas taking on the Los Angeles Sparks. The Aces will not only be looking to get back on track but they will also be concentrating on moving up in the standings in the final season push with 15 games left in the regular season for the team. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 3:00 PM.

Star-Studded Event At Footprint Center- Team WNBA Beats Team USA 117-109

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Team WNBA Arike Ogunbowale (left) drives on Team USA’s Kelsey Plum (5) at the 2024 WNBA All Star Game in Phoenix on Sat Jul 20, 2024 (AP News)

By Barbara Mason

In one of the best WNBA All-Star games of all-time a sell-out crowd of 16,407 witnessed Team WNBA beat Team USA 117-109 in a tight contest Saturday night. Most valuable player the Dallas Wings Arike Ogunbowale led Team WNBA to the win finishing with 34 points.

This was the most points scored in any all-star game earning Ogunbowale a second MVP nod. She was completely contained in the first half but turned it all around in the second half of play hitting eight of 13 three-pointers, giving Team WNBA as much as a 20 point lead in the final 20 minutes of this game.

This game was close in the first half of play with the opening quarter especially close with Team WNBA leading 24-23 after the first ten minutes. At the half, Team USA had a 54-52 lead winning the second quarter 31-28.

Team WNBA really turned this game around in the third quarter winning the quarter 36-25 and taking an 88-79 lead into the fourth quarter. Team USA fought back in the fourth quarter winning the quarter by the narrowest of margins 30-29. The domination in the third quarter by Team WNBA was the deciding factor in the 117-109 final score.

U.S. women’s national team Head Coach Cheryl Reeve had predicted that Team USA faced a huge challenge in this exhibition match taking on Team WNBA and she had it right although Team USA really did put up a fight.

Records were broken in this game with such incredible talent on the floor. Caitlin Clark set a rookie record with ten assists and Angel Reese became the first rookie with a double-double scoring 12 points with 11 rebounds. Allisha Gray who had won the 3-point shooting contest on Friday night chipped in 16 points for TEAM WNBA.

This All-Star game brought out numerous celebrities who enjoyed the evenings festivities from actor Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso star), Aubrey Plaza, Sue Bird, World Cup winner Megan Rapinoe, rapper Ty Dolla Sign, the Cardinals’ Marvin Harrison Jr., Kyler Murray, Shannon Sharpe and the list goes on and on. It was an evening to remember for the players and the fans alike.

From the very first shot made in this game when Diana Taurasi nailed a 3-pointer to the 3-pointer scored by Sabrina Ionescu with ten ticks left on the clock in the fourth quarter this game was amazing. Ogunbowale hit a couple of free throws to finish off this game.

This event had it all; it was so entertaining, full of high energy and fans expressed on many levels how much more fun this game was than the NBA All-Star game. This event seems to get better and better with every year. Saturday night at Footprint Center was the happening place to be.

The Las Vegas Aces were very well represented as expected in this game. A’Ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray all had some great moments in the game.

Now that this game is in the books, players and fans leave Phoenix with memories that will last a lifetime with the promise of more memories to be made in the coming years. It was certainly something special. Team USA now prepares for the 2024 Olympic Games that gets underway from July 26th to August 11.

What a memorable summer for all of these ladies. Once the Olympic Games are in the books, team USA will head back to finish off the regular season with all eyes focused on the WNBA playoffs to finish off an incredible 2024 season.

In one of the best

WNBA

Aces Slow Start Spearheads Loss to Chicago Sky 93-85

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The Chicago Sky’s forward Michaela Onyenwere (12) defends against the Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray (12) at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Tue Jul 16, 2024 (Las Vegas Aces photo)

By Barbara Mason

Las Vegas Aces (16-7) struggled through the first quarter trailing by 19 points after the first 12 minutes. They continued to challenge throughout the game getting close but never led once. It was a real battle in the fourth quarter with the Aces getting as close as a single point but they were unable to get on top.

The Chicago Sky (9-14) won the game 93-85. A’Ja Wilson fought through this game finishing with a double double, 28 points and 14 rebounds but the Aces came up just short despite her effort.

Game recap: The first quarter of this game was all Sky. They came out hard and fast and when the clock wound down on the first 12 minutes of this game, Chicago had taken a 25-12 lead and the Aces had some work to do in the second quarter.

The Sky had so far controlled the pace of this game and Las Vegas had to do a better job containing Chennedy Carter who already had scored 14 points. Chicago owned the shots from the field, from downtown and was out-rebounding the Aces 14 to 9.

Poor shooting was killing Las Vegas through the first half of the second quarter. With 4:50 left in the half, the Sky had taken a 40-21 lead. The Aces could not buy a long ball and Chicago was shooting at 44.4 % from downtown while Las Vegas was struggling only hitting 14.3 %.

They were getting shellacked. The Aces have not struggled like this at home all season. As the half came to an end, the Aces turned this game completely around after trailing by as much as 19.

Chicago continued to lead at the half but their lead had been cut to 44-37 as the Aces pushed back with ferocity. Las Vegas had a horrible start to this game but they were back on track going into the second half.

The Sky pushed their lead back to ten points 60-50 six minutes into the third quarter. Kelsey Plum continued to struggle only hitting two points for the entire game. The Sky had established a 12 point lead for much of the quarter and after three quarters, they continued to lead 69-63 and the Aces had one quarter left in this game to right the ship. Known for turning games around in the fourth quarter, they would have to show up in this one if they had any chance to win the game.

Las Vegas did indeed challenge in the fourth quarter trailing by a single point 73-72 with over seven minutes left in the game. Tiffany Hayes was having a great game off the bench hitting 14 points through three quarters and A’Ja Wilson already had another double double with 28 points and 10 rebounds.

With 7:15 left on the clock, the Sky were forced to take a full timeout and attempt to re-group as the Aces continued to forge a comeback. With 4:54 left in the game it continued to be a one-point game 75-74 with the Sky leading.

At 3:52, Las Vegas had at long last tied up this game at 77. The Aces had been unable to take the lead throughout the game as the Sky punched back taking an 88-81 lead with 1:32 left in the game and the Aces were running out of time.

Chicago had proven to be a most worthy opponent beating the defending champions 93-85. This was the Sky’s first win over Las Vegas in two years and they did in style.

The Aces were challenged the entire game by Chennedy Carter unable to contain herself and she finished with the game high 34 points. She led the way in this Chicago win. The slow start for Las Vegas was the determining factor and they never really recovered.

Game notes: Tuesday night the Aces took on the Sky at Michelob ULTRA Arena. Las Vegas ended their winning streak at four with the loss to the Sky. With the loss they fall a half game back behind first place Seattle in the Western Conference .

The Sky have come a long way since earlier in the season when they struggled with a .500 record at 6-6 record. The Sky have struggled at times this season but this not a team that you can take at all lightly as the Aces found out. They gave the Aces a run for their money despite being on the road.

A’Ja Wilson finished this game with a double double, 28 points and 14 rebounds. Jackie Young had 17 points but Kelsey Plum struggled through the game with only two points at the half and eight points for the game. Tiffany Hayes had a nice game off the bench with 19 points.

The Aces will continue their season on Saturday August 17 taking on the New York Liberty with tipoff scheduled for 1:00 PM.

Aces Win Fourth In a Row Beating Mystics 89-77

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The Las Vegas Aces Chelsea Gray (12) dribbles on the Washington Mystics Di Di Richards (12) at Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington DC on Sun Jul 14, 2024 (Las Vegas Aces photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Las Vegas Aces (16-7) won their fourth game in a row against the Washington Mystics (6-18) 89-77. The Aces continue to sit in second place in the Western Conference and fourth place overall.

They are nipping on the heels of the Minnesota Lynx who are in first place in the Western Conference. A Lynx loss Sunday against the Fever would drop them into second place in the division by 1/2 game and the Aces would step into first place. A’Ja Wilson had another double double with 17 rebounds and 28 points. She continues to amaze.

Game recap: The Mystics came out with great energy in the opening quarter while the Aces not so much. Washington took the lead 31-20 after the first ten minutes of play. No lead is one that the Aces cannot overcome and they went on to win the second quarter 20-12 but they did trail at the half 43-40. It is no secret that the Aces can be lethal in the second half of games and the Mystic lead was a mere three points, a single shot.

Washington continued to hang around and when the third quarter came to an end they only trailed by the score of 65-62. Las Vegas had won the third quarter 25-19. The Aces sealed this win in the fourth quarter winning the quarter 24-15 and the game 89-77.

The Mystic put up a fight but could not handle the offense of Las Vegas. Washington was hot from downtown shooting 57% hitting 12 of 21 but from the field, the Aces won the battle. The Aces had their fourth win a row.

A’Ja Wilson had another double double with 17 rebounds and 28 points. Kelsey Plum had 22 points and Tiffany Hayes had a great game off the bench with 17 points. Those 17 points tied her season best and her 5 rebounds were a season high for her.

Jackie Young was quiet in this game after scoring 19 points in their last game Friday night against the Dream. The Aces sure have turned their season around after starting it with a 6-6 record. They have now won their last 10 of 11 games. Las Vegas has swept this seasons’ series with the Mystics winning all three games by double digits.

The Mystics Ariel Atkins had a terrific game scoring 36 points. She was the only Washington player in double figures and this tied her career high. She hit 6 3-pointers in the game.

Game notes: Sunday afternoon, the Aces defeated the Mystics at Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington DC. Las Vegas is coming off a dominating win over the Dream last Friday night 84-70 and they picked up their fourth win in a row.

The Mystics had a big win against the Indiana Fever Wednesday night 84-79. They are currently eyeing first place in the Western Conference and third place overall. The Lynx are currently in first place one game ahead of the Aces and at the time of this post were tied at the half with the Fever.

The Las Vegas Aces have one more game before the break and will not be back in league action until August 17 when they take on the Liberty in a clash between two elite teams. Las Vegas will take on the Sky next Tuesday night at home in their last game before season action takes a break. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 7:00 PM. This game can be viewed on Prime Video.

Aces Beat Storm In Thrilling Finish 84-79

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Las Vegas Aces Kelsey Plum (10) drives on the Seattle Storm at Climate Pledge in Seattle on Wed Jul 10, 2024 (photo by the Las Vegas Aces)

By Barbara Mason

The Seattle Storm (14-8) came into their matchup with the Las Vegas Aces (14-7) Wednesday winning both the first and second quarters and leading at the half 36-30. A six-point lead by either of these teams is a drop in the bucket and precarious at best.

The Aces who most of the time prevail in the second half lived up to their reputation winning the third quarter 30-19 and taking the lead 60-55. The fourth quarter was dead even with both teams scoring 24 points and the Aces held tight winning their second game in a row 84-79.

Wednesday afternoon, the Aces met up north to take on the Storm in a battle of two of the leagues’ heavyweights. The matchup between A’Ja Wilson and Jewell Loyd had all the makings of a real clash and this game proved to be a fight to the end with Wilson with 24 points and Lloyd with 28 points.

The Aces were coming off a win over the Dallas Wings 104-85 and the Seattle Storm were also coming off a win against the Chicago Sky 84-71 in convincing wins for both teams. The two teams have their eyes on first place in the Western Conference and the Minnesota Lynx who occupy that position.

Game recap: The Seattle Storm came on strong in the first half of this game winning both the first and the second quarters and leading at the half 36-30. They would have their work cut out for them in the second half where the Las Vegas Aces typically go to town and this game was no different.

The Aces had an excellent third quarter which made all the difference in this game winning it 30-19 and taking a 60-55 lead into the fourth quarter. As the fourth quarter wore on those five points would be the deal breaker for the Storm.

The fourth quarter was a wild affair. The Storm pulled to within one point in the early minutes of the quarter but the Aces always had the answer. At 3:31 the Aces had a 76-67 lead and with 45 seconds left in the game, the Aces were hanging on with a 82-79 lead. A’Ja Wilson was fouled with 2.1 on the clock making both free throws for the final score of 84-79. It was a battle from start to finish with the Aces prevailing.

In another outstanding game for A’Ja Wilson, she had her first career 20-20 game being only the second player in Aces history to achieve that mark. She finished with 24 points and 20 rebounds and had a lot of help from Jackie Young who had 27 points and five rebounds.

Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray both had double digits. Kiah Stokes had seven rebounds continuing her stellar defensive effort. The milestone from Wilson was the 21st 20-20 game in WNBA history.

This was a real team effort with every player stepping up and hitting shots at critical moments. The Aces are now 8-1 since the return of Chelsea Gray. The Storm rallied throughout the fourth quarter but came up short every time.

Seattle did have a great opportunity to tie up this game in their final possession with Nneka Ogwumike missing an open three-pointer and that was pretty much the game.

The Storm had a great game from Jewell Loyd who scored 28 points and Ezi Magbegor had 10 points and 10 rebounds for Seattle. Skylar Diggins-Smith also had a nice game scoring 16 points with 4 rebounds.

This game could not have been closer. The Aces won the battle in the paint as well as the battle from downtown. Seattle had more turnovers than the Aces with 13 and the rebounds between the two teams were also close. 12,500 fans were in attendance at Climate Pledge Arena for this game.

The Aces will be back on the court next Friday night in Atlanta taking on the Dream. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 4:30 PM.