LAS VEGAS (Sept. 18, 2025) — The Las Vegas Aces (30-14, 2-1) held on for a 74-73 nail biter against the Seattle Storm (23-21, 1-2) in a decisive Game 3 on Thursday night at Michelob ULTRA Arena. The quarterfinal victory advanced Las Vegas to the 2025 WNBA Semifinals for the 7th time in as many years. A’ja Wilson tied her playoff career-high with 38 points, Jackie Young tallied 14, including a crucial put-back with 12.4 seconds remaining, and Chelsea Gray recorded 12 points and 8 assists.

Erica Wheeler and Nneka Ogwumike scored 16 apiece and Skylar Diggins scored 13 for Seattle.

Box Score | Photos |Highlights

First Quarter Highlights (Seattle 19, Las Vegas 14)
The Aces struck first with 4 points from Wilson before the Storm recorded their first points at the line at 8:15. Most of the first quarter was a back-and-forth affair until Seattle ended on a 9-0 run with points coming from 4 different players. Las Vegas went 0 of 2 from distance and 37.5% (6-16 FGs) from the floor. Seattle shot 33.3% (2-6 3FGs) from deep and 38.9% (7-18 FGs) from the field. The Aces trio of Wilson (6), Gray (2) and Young (6) scored all the points for Las Vegas, while Diggins led Seattle with 5.

Second Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 33, Seattle 26)
Gray got the ball rolling for the Aces in the second quarter with a quick 5 points to tie it up at 19-all before Wheeler scored to put Seattle ahead 21-19. A Wilson jumper, a reverse layup by NaLyssa Smith, followed by a Young 3-pointer at the 4:08 mark gave Las Vegas its first lead of the quarter at 26-24. Seattle tied it up less than 30 seconds later but the Aces strung together 7 straight points, 5 from Wilson, to close the half.  The Aces held the Storm to just 7 points in the second on 2 of 13 (.154) field goal shooting and held them scoreless from 3-point (0-2 3pt FGs), while making 8 of 12 (.667) overall and 2 of 5 (.400) from distance. Wilson led all scorers with 7 and no Seattle player had more than 3.

Third Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 52, Seattle 48)
Seattle opened the second half on a 9-4 run to bring itself within 2, 37-35, a run during which all 4 Aces points came from Wilson at the charity stripe. While the Aces never gave up the lead and were up 52-44 at 1:10, Seattle scored the last 4 points to narrow the gap to 52-48. The Aces connected on 6 of 17 (.353), including 5 of 11 (.455) from Wilson, and made 1 of 2 (.500) from deep, while Seattle shot 50% (8-16 FGs) from the floor and 3 of 4 (.750) from 3-point range. Wilson led all scorers with 14; a trio of Storm players scored 5 apiece.

Fourth Quarter Highlights (Las Vegas 74, Seattle 73)
The teams traded baskets for most of the final frame, when Seattle closed to 63-61 with 5:20 to play. Following a Wilson bucket and 1 of 2 from the line by Young, Seattle hit a 3 and tied the game at 66-all on a pair from the line at 2:20. Tied again, 68-68, Wilson stepped to the line and gave the Aces a 2-point lead (1:33), but a 3-pointer by Seattle with 1:15 to play gave the visitors a 1-point edge, 71-70. Each team scored again, leaving the Storm in front 73-72 and 19.3 seconds to play. With 13.5 seconds to go, Wilson attempted a step-back jump shot, missed slightly to the right, but Young saved the possession with a crucial put-back with 12.4 seconds left that eventually sealed the series for the Aces after Wheeler’s final attempt with 4.4 seconds showing did not fall.

KEY STATS
The ACLU is currently tracking 604 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the United States.

The Aces finished shooting 45.9% (28-61 FGs) from the field but just 25% (3-12 3pt FGs) from distance, whereas the Storm made 40% (26-65 FGs) overall and 38.9% (7-18 3pt FGs) behind the arc.

The Aces made 15 of 17 (.882) from the line and the Storm was 14 of 18 (.778).

The Storm won the battle on the glass 33-27, including 9-4 on the offensive end.

The Aces gave up 11 points on 14 turnovers and scored 16 off Seattle’s 17 miscues.

Las Vegas outscored Seattle 42-32 in the paint, but lost 9-2 on second chances and 14-5 on the fast break.

Neither team held more than an 8-point lead in the game, which saw the 6 lead changes and 6 tied scores.

GAME NOTES
With 14 made field goals, Wilson passed Brittney Griner (341), Lisa Leslie (345), Breanna Stewart (349) and Tamika Catchings (352) to move into No. 6 on the league’s all-time playoffs field goals made list with 353. Seimone Augustus (362) is No. 5. Gray also passed Angel McCoughtry (299) to move into No. 14 with 302.

With her 38 points tonight, which ties her playoff career high, Wilson is now only 1 of 4 players in league history to record more than one 35-point playoff game, which she has done twice. Napheesa Collier and Stewart also have 2 apiece and McCoughtry leads the W with 5 all-time.

Wilson broke a tie with Maya Moore (5) with her 6th career 30-point playoff game and now tied with McCoughtry for No. 3 in league history. No. 2 Stewart has 7 and Diana Taurasi leads the league with 8.

Wilson only needed 1 made free throw to move past Moore (212) and into sole possession of No. 7 on the league’s all-time playoff free throws made list. She now has 222. McCoughtry is No. 6 with 224.

Wilson became the 5th player in W history to amass 900 points, 450 rebounds and 100 assists in postseason play; as has been the case all season, Wilson is the fastest (46 games) and youngest (29 years, 41 days) to hit those marks. She needed 1 point, 5 rebounds and 1 assist to reach those milestones tonight. Candace Parker previously hit the trifecta in 49 playoff games and DeWanna Bonner was previously the youngest at 35 years and 18 days. Rounding out the list are Catchings and Leslie.

Gray reached 300 playoff field goals made. She now has 302.

The franchise playoff record is now 38-41 in its 17^th playoff appearance and 7^th straight since moving to Las Vegas.

UP NEXT: The Aces host the next two games as the No. 2 seed as they move onto the 2025 WNBA Semifinals against the Indiana Fever (24-20, 2-1). The best-of-five series will be played in a 2-2-1 format, in which the Aces maintain home court advantage for Games 1, 2 and 5 (if necessary). Sunday’s game will tip at 12 p.m. and air nationally on ABC; Tuesday’s contest tips at 6:30 pm and will be shown on ESPN.