CHICAGO, IL (August 17, 2019)—“A Win, (and some help) And We’re In!”
The Las Vegas Aces (17-9) prepare to take on Chicago Sunday at 3 pm PT knowing that if they beat the Sky (and the Indiana Fever lose to Washington), they clinch a spot in the playoffs for the first time since they were the San Antonio Stars back in 2014.
Liz Cambage and Dearica Hamby have carried the offensive load in the absence of A’ja Wilson who has missed the last eight games with an ankle injury. The Aces are 6-2 without Wilson, and Cambage is averaging 17.0 points and 9.9 rebounds per game, while Hamby is contributing a 15.0 points, 10.3 double-double during that stretch.
Jackie Young has also upped her offensive production over that span as well, averaging 9.5 points over the last eight games, and 14.3 points over her last four. In addition, this year’s number one overall draft pick is 29 for 34 from the free throw line over the last seven games after making 16 of 23 over her first 19 games.
Las Vegas continues to have the best defense in the league pacing the W in Defensive Efficiency, Opponent Field Goal Percentage and Defensive Rebound Percentage. The Aces have held opponents below 40 percent 15 times this season, and below 30 percent on four occasions.
Chicago (15-10) has won eight of its last 10 games including five straight at home. Courtney Vandersloot is averaging 14.1 points and 10.3 assists per game over that stretch, while making 60.0 percent of her field goal attempts. Allie Quigley is averaging 15.9 points over the last 10, connecting on 42.6 percent from long range, and Diamond DeShields is averaging 15.8 points per game during that span.
As a team, Chicago is making 46.6 percent of its shots over the last 10 games. Defensively the Sky are holding opponents to 40.5 percent shooting from the field.
The Aces and Sky split their two previous meetings this season, giving tonight’s game extra importance, as the winner would have the tiebreaker over the other should it be needed to determine playoff seeding.