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LAS VEGAS (July 10, 2018)–The Las Vegas Aces continued their playoff push last week with home wins over Chicago and Connecticut to move into ninth place in the WNBA, just two games behind the Atlanta Dream. The top eight teams advance to the postseason regardless of conference. Las Vegas takes on tenth-place Chicago, Tuesday, beginning at 5:30 pm PT.

Team	W	L	Pct	GB
Seattle	15	5	.750	—
Phoenix	14	6	.737	1.0
Washington	12	7	.632	2.5
Los Angeles	12	8	.600	3.0
Minnesota	11	8	.579	3.5
Dallas	10	8	.556	4.0
Connecticut	10	9	.526	4.5
Atlanta	9	9	.500	5.0

Las Vegas	8	12	.400	7.0
Chicago	7	12	.368	7.5
New York	5	14	.263	9.5
Indiana	2	17	.105	12.5

Since beginning the year with a 1-7 record, Las Vegas has gone 7-5 over its last 12 games. The improvement has come on both ends of the floor, but particularly on the offensive end.

	Offense						Defense
	FG%	3G%	TOs	PPG	ORPct	OER	3G%	DRPct	DER
1-7 start	.409	.286	14.9	78.9	.227	92.0	.384	.738	106.1
7-5 since	.451	.417	12.8	84.2	.264	102.2	.311	.772	101.3

The Aces are led by reigning WNBA Rookie of the Month award winner and MVP candidate A’ja Wilson. The South Carolina graduate ranks second in the league in scoring, third in rebounding and sixth in blocked shots this season, and has scored in double figures in all 20 games to start her professional career.

Wilson was also named the league’s Western Conference Player of the Month on Monday, July 9, after averaging 29.0 points and 7.0 rebounds as Las Vegas went 2-0 on the week. The win over Connecticut on Saturday was the Aces’ eighth of the season, besting the seven wins the team secured one year ago in its final season in San Antonio.

Perennial All-Star candidate Kayla McBride, now in her fifth year in the W, is having the best season as a pro, averaging career highs in scoring (19.0), field goal percentage (47.1), three-point field goal percentage (42.9), and assists (2.8).

Wilson and McBride have been the highest scoring duo in the WNBA over the last 12 games

	PPG	RPG	APG	FG%	3G%	FT%
Wilson	21.4	9.3	2.9	48.2	—	78.3
McBride	21.3	3.6	3.1	49.4	45.0	92.3

Chicago ended a three-game losing streak Saturday when they hosted the defending champion Minnesota Lynx. The Sky lead the league in three-point scoring making at 37.3 percent. Allie Quigley leads four members of the Sky scoring in double figures, averaging 16.7 points per game. The ninth-year guard is fifth in the WNBA in three-point scoring percentage (47.1) and 14th in field goal percentage (49.1).

The Aces and Sky played against one another twice this season, last meeting on July 5. Las Vegas used a 6-0 run late in the fourth quarter to come away with an 84-80 victory. A’ja Wilson and Kayla McBride combined to go 21 for 44 from the field for 52 points.

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