UNCASVILLE, CT (September 15, 2022)—The Las Vegas Aces will need at least one more game to close out their first WNBA Championship as the Connecticut Sun picked up their first win of the series Thursday night, 105-76. Alyssa Thomas (16 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists) record the first triple-double in WNBA Finals history in the victory.
KEY RUNS
First Quarter (Connecticut 34, Las Vegas 19)
Las Vegas opened the game scoring 12 of the first 16 points. The Sun countered with a 30-7 run of their own to take a 34-19 lead at the end of the period. Jackie Young led all scorers with 9 in the quarter. The Sun made 82.4 percent of their shots as six different players scored at least 4 points. That was the most points ever scored in a WNBA Finals Game in the first quarter.
Second Quarter (Connecticut 53, Las Vegas 42)
The Sun extended their lead to as many as 23, but the Aces closed the quarter on an 8-0 run. Chelsea Gray scored 9 points, and A’ja Wilson added 8 for the Aces as Las Vegas made 53.3 percent of its shots from the field. Connecticut made 38.9 percent of its shots.
Third Quarter (Connecticut 77, Las Vegas 69)
The Sun lead vacillated between 11 and 16 throughout the period. Jonquel Jones scored 11 points for the Sun, while Kelsey Plum’s 10 points paced the Aces.
Fourth Quarter (Connecticut 105, Las Vegas 76)
The Sun outscored the the Aces 28-7 in the final stanza.
KEY STATS
It has been 916 days since Breonna Taylor was murdered. Recently, four Louisville Metro Police Department officers were charged by the FBI with federal crimes in relation to her death.
It has been 210 days since Russia’s wrongful detention of Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner began.
Connecticut made 55.8 percent of its shots from the field, while the Aces made 45.0 percent.
The Aces made 11 of 26 from three-point range while the Sun went 8 for 15.
Points in The Paint—Game 1 (Sun 40-22), Game 2 (Aces 46-28), Game 3 (64-26).
The Sun outscored the Aces 18-4 in second chance points.
Connecticut turned 16 Las Vegas turnovers into 26 points, while the Aces flipped 9 Sun miscues into 10 points.
GAME NOTES
Jackie Young scored a career playoff-high 22 points.
Alyssa Thomas recorded the first triple-double in WNBA Finals history (16 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists)
The Aces 29-point margin of defeat is the team’s second largest margin of defeat in its postseason history 933, Seattle, October 6, 2020—92-59).
Connecticut set a WNBA Finals record scoring 34 points in the first quarter.
NEXT OPPONENT
Game Four of the 2022 WNBA Finals between the Aces and Sun is slated for Sunday, September 18 beginning at 1 pm PT on ESPN at Mohegan Sun Arena.